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

Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now.

Thank you for taking the time to join us for Denver City Council's meeting.

Today is Monday, April 20th, 2024.

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 with the CLC, joining you virtually through Zoom.

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

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

Thank you very much, Sam.

Just want to make an announcement to the public.

I'm sure you all saw we have a huge event going out front.

So just use caution.

It's the 420 rally.

Um so just use caution when you're leaving the city and county building because there's lots of people out there, and it's gonna get loud.

I heard Snoop Dogg get on right around 420, which is in the middle of this meeting.

So thank you all for your patience during this rally that we're having.

Um Monday, April 20th, 2026.

Council members, please join Councilmember Torres in the Pledge of Allegiance.

This is the flag of the United States of America.

One nation under God, indivisible with European justice.

Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam President.

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

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

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, we'll call Councilmember Splend.

Here Lewis Present.

Here.

Torres.

Here.

Watson.

Here.

Madam President Sandoval.

Here.

Thirteen members present.

There are 13 members present.

Council has a quorum.

Approval of the minutes.

Are there corrections to the minutes of April 13th?

Seeing none, the minutes stand approved.

Council announcements.

Are there any council announcements from members of Council?

Councilmember Albidares.

Thank you so much, Council President.

I want to share a couple of events this week in District 7.

We have the e-waste event.

Westwash Park Registered Neighborhood Association is hosting their annual e-waste recycling event this coming Saturday.

Drop off anything from old speakers, laptops, kitchen appliances, cell phones, vacuums at the Royal Crest Building this Saturday, April 25th from 10 a.m.

to 1 PM.

Please check out Lucky District 7 Socials for a full list of items they will or will not be accepting.

Denver, and on another note, the Front Range Passenger Rail, as they've been hosting their community conversation town halls.

We'll have a QA at South High School this coming Wednesday from 6 to 7.30 p.m.

This is an opportunity to learn more about the project, ask the team questions, and provide valuable community input and have your voice heard.

So hope to see you there.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watson.

Yes, um, we have a the first of uh Walton uh Next Steps uh study along with the Regional Transportation District, DOTI, the community, um, will be having a discussion about next steps of Walton and our corridor.

That begins from 5 30 to 7 p.m.

It's a virtual meeting.

Uh, folks are able to uh sign on or virtually um to attend this meeting.

Um, if you want more information, please uh reach out to my office, Denver.

Um I forgot my address, District 9 at Denvergov.org.

I apologize.

So once again, the Wellton Corridor Next Steps uh study uh public meeting.

Um there is a uh webinar from 5 30 to 7 p.m.

Um you can reach out to my office at District 9 at Denvergov.org for more information if you have not received the email to participate.

Thank you.

Council Cartim America, thank you.

Um, in celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd this Wednesday, we are organizing with Denver Parks and Rec some community projects in Bible Park.

And so there will be two separate uh groups that have already we thank you to everybody who's already signed up, but we'll be out there all day really focused on enhancing and restoring our local parks.

Super excited about it.

I'll be out there, uh bring some sunblock, and basically what we'll be doing is mulching, um, litter cleanup, trail maintenance, and general beautification efforts designed to improve the neighborhood and green spaces.

So happy Earth Day.

Uh Councilwoman Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um we have quite a few events going on this week.

Um, first and foremost, regarding municipal sentencing, the ordinance that's uh the ordinance proposal that's coming through council.

We have three uh online options for community meetings tomorrow at 4 p.m.

Wednesday at 6 30 p.m.

And then on Saturday the 25th at 10 a.m.

And um to get access to the links, you can uh we'll be sending out newsletter and also uh everything will be posted on social media so that um community can learn more about the bill that we're proposing.

The second thing is myself and Councilwoman Parity are co-hosting again this year with the Office of Independent Monitor, the community forum with Office of Independent Independent Monitor, their annual report release alongside our safety departments will also be in attendance.

Uh so please access uh there's a link to register if you would like to attend and learn more about that.

And then the last thing that will be tomorrow, uh Tuesday at 5 p.m.

And then the last thing that will also be tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Uh myself, Councilman Cashman have our final round of community feedback sessions.

We've had four in-person on the registered neighborhood organization work that we're doing, and this will be the fifth um community feedback session.

This one will be virtual at 6 p.m.

tomorrow.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Um in Northwest Denver, we're also having an earth day celebration at Sloan's Lake or Berkeley Park.

You're we're looking for volunteers this Wednesday from 8 to 11 or 12 to 3.

And then also on Friday, May 1st at 4.30, we're having the grand opening of La Rasa Park in celebration of Cinco de Mayo.

So hope to see you on Friday, May 1st at 4:30 at La Rasa Park.

Seeing no other comments, it's no other announcements.

There are no presentations, there are no communications.

There is one proclamation being read this afternoon.

Councilmember Cashman, would you please read proclamation 0551?

Yeah, thank you, Madam President.

This is proclamation 26051.

Proclamation honoring Earth Day 56, April 22nd, 2026, whereas clean soil, water, and air are essential to the health of our planet, the people and other creatures who live on it, and the resources we take from it.

And whereas on April 22nd, 1970, millions of Americans came together to celebrate the first Earth Day with students, teachers, activists, elected officials, and countless others committing to confront urgent environmental issues of the day.

And whereas prevailing science indicates that climate change, exacerbated by human behavior, is continuing at a dangerous pace that, unless reversed quickly, will lead to even more serious environmental challenges that threaten to alter where we're able to live, watch, play, and grow our food, and whereas apathetic corporations and governmental policies continue to rely on ever increasing fossil fuel emissions that have already created havoc for our environment, leading to the extinction, extinction of animal and plant species, the fouling of our air, land and water, and multiple challenges to human health, and whereas evolving technologies, including the rapid growth of data centers using previously unheard of amounts of water and power to process the massive volume of information generated by our ever increasing reliance on electronic devices and the explosion of artificial intelligence.

And whereas the historic reality of environmental degradation and injustice in this country has been felt primarily by low-income communities of color, and that current federal policies are poised to accelerate those impacts, and whereas our current federal administration is irrationally rolling back policies of mitigation and putting forth new policies that will further aggravate the climate crisis in order to increase investor profits.

And although the need for individual responsibility is clear, many of our largest corporations, institutions, and governments are not adequately aligned to solve this crisis.

And whereas, realizing federal indifference and objectives, we understand that local governments stand in a place of opportunity to institute policies that lead to rapid emissions reductions.

And whereas Denver strives to be a leader not only in the state of Colorado, but also the nation, and that leading by example starts with how the city functions internally.

And whereas Denver has taken many actions to honor our responsibility as global citizens, included among them, creation of the Office of Climate Action Sustainability and Resiliency to embed sustainable practices in all governmental functions and to lead Denver's policy-making efforts in that regard.

Expansion of the solid waste program by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure to increase composting to all residents, as well as implementing the Denver Connector Microtransit Service in several Denver neighborhoods and community planning and developments institution of the Denver Green Code and commitment to the resilient landscape project, among many others, and whereas climate resiliency has been included in Denver citywide goals for 2026, aiming to install 5,000 clean energy systems citywide, heat pumps, solar arrays, EV chargers, et cetera, and develop 50 acres of green infrastructure, including reimagining the turf surrounding the city and county building with low water natural landscaping.

And whereas members of the Denver City Council are in full support of efforts to empower residents to create sustainable neighborhoods across the city and to empower city agencies to accomplish their duties with the least possible impact on resources.

Now therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, the Denver City Council joins with citizens around the globe to mark Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026, as Earth Day 56, in Section 2, that this council takes this opportunity to state our commitment to effective environmentally friendly policies that will promote the health of planet Earth for future generations, and finally, Section 3, that the clerk 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 delivered to the Office of Climate Action and Sustainability and Resiliency.

Thank you, Councilmember Cashman, you motion to adopt.

Yes, I move that proclamation 26-051 be adopted.

It has been moved informative.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Cashman.

Yeah, thank you, Madam President.

Sorry for such a long proclamation, but with the situation going on in our nation's capital right now, where along the lines of the rollback we've seen in human rights and civil rights, there's been a massive rollback in climate rights and a denial of the science that tells us that unless we change our behavior, uh there's serious um uh consequences uh coming down the road on top of what we're already seeing.

Um the weather has become more and more unpredictable no matter where you're living.

Um Colorado is seeing higher temperatures, uh increasing wildfires, etc.

etc.

And we are facing, as this council is well aware, uh, new technologies that put uh additional pressures on our limited resources.

And so we need to more than ever, with a view uh, you know, Council President always talks about uh looking at the next seven generations uh as a grandparent.

I'll look past leaving the world for my children, but for my grandchildren.

And uh I can't stick my chest out and be proud at what I see coming down the road.

So with that, uh Madam President, uh I'll just thank you for the opportunity to present this proclamation and uh uh hope for my uh colleagues to support as well.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Albiderez.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh thank you, Councilman Cashman for bringing this forward.

It is an important thing to continue to lift up.

I also appreciate that you brought up the connector.

That's been really great for West Denver to be able to have access to the rest of the city and for our air quality, which is so important.

I think about a lot as a mom, my son trying to play outside on a hot summer day and not knowing what we do SARP loon, including his lungs.

So I really appreciate that.

I really appreciate CASAR's work lately, especially around trees in the West Side, trees that we really need.

I've been having a meeting about um the reconstruction of Alameda, and I bring up trees, and there's so much pushback.

We have pushback in every corner.

It's too hard to plant trees, it's too hard to get rid of grass, it's too hard to not take a car trip.

Um, and so I think that the more we lift up these issues, and it's amazing to have an ally like CASR to really help us push in community when we have issues.

So thank you to everyone on the Kazar team, and thank you, Councilman Cashman, for bringing this forward.

Thank you, thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

See no other speakers in the queue.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Councilmember Flynn.

Hi.

Hi.

Lewis.

Aye.

Aye.

Hi.

Gilmore.

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Aye.

Cashman.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Torres.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting announce the results.

13 ayes.

13 ayes.

Proclamation 0551 has been adopted.

We now have five minutes for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Cashman, who will be calling, inviting to accept the proclamation.

Yeah, thank you, Madam President.

You know, uh the city and county of Denver is very fortunate to have a very uh vibrant and hard-working uh Office of Climate Action Sustainability and Resiliency doing uh enviable work that other jurisdictions can look at uh and emulate.

And I'd like to call up the director of that department, Liz Babcock.

Good afternoon, Council members.

Thank you for having me today.

Thank you, Councilman Cashman for sponsoring this proclamation.

Um, as you know, the climate office was created by this body in 2020, and since that time we've made enormous strides to advance our work.

Our team really shows up every day with a sense of urgency.

Um we know that the challenges we're facing on climate are significant, and a lot of the impacts will be felt most at the local level, where we see you know increasing uh risk from extreme heat, extreme weather, drought, um, and also localized air pollution.

So climate solutions really are quality of life solutions.

They are public health solutions, they are affordability solutions.

All of the things that we will be doing and are doing to address climate change will clean our air locally.

So regardless of what is happening on a global scale, we are doing the things that are right here for our community today.

So I just want to thank you all for the support that you provide to our office and to this work.

We are going to be updating our five-year plan this year, and we are really taking a look at what has been effective, what more do we need to do, and excited to work with all of you on advancing our policies and working in your districts, working with your community members, with your businesses to really make sure that everybody can be part of the solutions.

We really do try to design our programs and to do our work in a way that everyone can participate.

We take the charge to invest in our communities very seriously, and we put equity and justice at the center of our work.

And so just thank you again for your partnership for your leadership and thank you so much for the proclamation today, Councilman.

Thank you.

From the South Platte River Committee, 26-0391, a bill for an ordinance changing the zoning classification for 3232 Larimer Street and five points, and 26-0476, a bill for an ordinance changing the zoning classification for 4458 North Pearl Street, 5275 North Franklin Street, and 4621 North Telluride Street in Globeville.

Thank you.

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

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

Yes, Madam President.

Thank you.

I'll do a recap.

Under resolutions.

Under bills for introduction, Council Bill 0476 has been called out for postponement by Councilmember Gilmore.

Under bill for final consideration, Council Bill 0422 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Gilmore.

Under pending, no items have been called out.

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

Council Bill 0422, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed donation of surplus American bison from the city and county of Denver to American Indian tribes and American Indian nonprofit organizations.

Councilmember Gilmore, please go ahead with your comments on Council Bill 0422.

Thank you.

And so through that long-term mini-year education, that especially the Talbull family, I want to call out.

Bill and Rich and Rosalie Talbull.

They have dedicated their entire lives to making sure that the city and county of Denver are aware of the history that city leaders, that doctors and lawyers and others came together as individual militias, and went out and created great harm and horrific acts.

And for decades, the city and county of Denver has conveniently ignored that history.

And I really want to thank the elders of the Talbull community, but then I can't forget Blaine Talbowl, Clark Talbull, Lewis Talbull, who I hope that we hear tonight, and his partner Esther as well.

You know, they literally live and breathe, teaching others about their culture so that we will care enough to protect what we do have.

And the buffalo that are at our mountain parks are descendants of the Yellowstone herd.

They are the last, there were about 300 buffalo left by the time the United States had committed horrific genocide and killed the majority of them because they knew that it was the um major food source for American Indian people, and then that forced American Indian people into a circumstance that they needed help, they needed food, and so they were pushed towards the cities, and Denver became a relocation site as well, further removing people from their land from that relation as a relative, and especially the buffalo.

And so through the creation of the Buffalo Return Program, there was a sunset on it.

Because whenever you do anything in government, you've always got to do a pilot, or you have to do a little bit, so you know nobody gets too upset about it.

But finally, it's no longer a pilot or it's gonna have a sunset on it.

Um it um will be in perpetuity, it will be forever that the city and county of Denver never again auctions off Buffalo to the highest bidder.

They will always go to um recognize tribes or nonprofits that work to restore buffalo, and it's very um uh apropos, Councilman Cashman, when you talk about um Earth Day and climate change and mitigating the negative effects, um, it has scientifically been proven that when you restore X amount of short grass, prairie and long grass prairie lands to Buffalo Habitat, the carbon sequestration increases so exponentially that you cool down the planet.

So, if we want to do better for the environment, we need to work on more buffalo restoration, not only in Denver, but in Arapahoe County, in Adams County, across this entire state, and there are reports called the Truth and Reconciliation Reports that were written by a group of amazing leaders, and it outlines exactly what they want to see from local policymakers, this body, from folks across the park at the state, and federally.

And so there's babies that are descendants of this herd in our mountains all across the United States, running around, making more babies, and sometimes as they um give themselves to the people, the people also can uh harvest, can take a buffalo so that they can then teach their history through using every single part of that relative for them to survive and carry that on.

And so uh it is a huge honor to help um get this through and to support it, and I look forward to the next steps that are taken to expand this.

But you heard it here first, and um we should have thousands of buffalo um in the state of Colorado at some point if we're really gonna get serious about climate change and how we cool the earth down, and so um thank you.

I'll be voting in favor.

Councilmember I'll be able to thank you for your leadership on this issue, Councilman Gilmore.

It's been an honor to see and learn, especially about the previous council with Council President, Councilman Torres, and my predecessor, who's now Director Clark on.

I forgot when he this wasn't Parks and Rec Committee to acknowledge that he was a part of passing this too, and I forget that my predecessor is now the director of parks, and so he gets to continue that work and to your husband um Scott Gilmore and to Shannon, who's also leading this work from the park side of things.

So I'm extremely humbled to even just be this small part and get to vote on this, which I feel like is so much work that others did to get us here.

Thank you for council.

Thank you.

Thank you for all the work and all of the effort and all the mini hands that go into this.

It really is a special time when we donate those buffalo back.

So appreciate that this is going to be codified.

Um Councilmember Torres, would you please put Council Bill 0476 on the floor for publication?

Yeah, I move that Council Bill 26-0476 be ordered published.

It has been moved.

Uh thank you.

Um I have a question uh for either parks or um it might be a question of um our legislative team.

Um I'll just state the question and um we can hopefully find somebody to answer it.

Um the bill that um I'm asking folks to postpone.

Um all of the um documents, it looks like it only says the bill title is for an ordinance changing the zoning classification for 445 North Pearl Street, 5275 North Franklin Street, and then 4621 North Telluride Street in Globeville.

4621 North Telluride is not in Globeville.

That is in Green Valley Ranch in District 11.

And so I'm curious, is this bill title wrong?

And does it need to be real refiled perhaps?

Uh Brian Romney Assistant City Attorney, I'm opening it up right now.

Uh quick.

I'll give you one second.

Um I don't know if there's someone from Parks.

Um I didn't check if that location is in Globe Bill and someone there can confirm it is or is not in Globe Bill.

But yeah.

Thank you.

Joe Green from Community Planning and Development.

I can confirm that location is in Green Valley Ranch.

And that it's missing from the title, it looks like the bill title.

Go ahead.

Yeah.

It looks like that the Green Valley Ranch is missing from the bill title when one of the rezonings is in that neighborhood.

Okay.

And so if the location is missing from that bill title, is it then advised that council votes this bill down to be refiled with the correct name in the title?

I'm hoping we have a city attorney online because I think we could amend that title of the bill that they could confirm if that's possible.

Let's see.

I think Adam Hernandez was on today.

Okay.

Uh just give me one second.

Yeah.

Okay, I believe we can amend the bill title one second real fast.

Sorry, just one more moment.

I think we're having we're having issues with this word cast, and then they're looking at 'cause mine is going.

Yeah, mine's going blank and going back up.

And so I yeah, I think we're having some tech problems, and then Ryland's finding the answer, just so the public knows what we're doing.

So we'll reset for five minutes.

We'll come say, we'll come back up for twenty.

We will now reconvene from our weakness.

There's another motion on the floor.

Councilmember Gilmore, what would you like to do with Council Bill Zero Four Seven Six?

Excuse me, I um move that Council Bill Twenty Six-Zero Four Seven Six be amended in the following particulars.

One, I uh move to amend council bill um on page one line six insert Globeville after the words forty-four fifty-eight North Pearl Street.

Number two, page one line seven, insert Gloville after the words fifty-two seventy-five North Franklin Street, and three on page one line seven, strike the word Gloville and replace with Green Valley Ranch.

Comments by members of council on Council Bill Zero Four Six Seven.

Council Member Gilmer.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on amendment to Council Bill Zero Four Seven Six.

Council members Flynn.

Oh, Councilmember Gilmore.

That is not transparency in any uh way, shape, or form, and this is directly tied to the zoning and the Cornavaca maintenance facility and now the Sloan's Lake maintenance facility.

There is a 2012 parks maintenance improvement study, and that clearly uh shows through core requested documents that Denver Parks and RAC plans to build a 7,100 square foot maintenance shop at Sloan's Lake, and then in addition to the 13,100 square foot maintenance facility that Parks is proposing to build in the city of Cuanavaca Park, and then diverting $5.4 million from a planned maintenance facility in the Green Valley Ranch neighborhood, and in the 2012 study, that maintenance shop in Green Valley Ranch was supposed to be 4500 square feet.

Parks and REC is now proposing to put an 1800 square foot prefabricated metal building in Green Valley Ranch, diverting 5.4 million.

So essentially putting close to 20,000 square feet of maintenance facility in District 11 and leaving Green Valley Ranch with an 1800 square foot maintenance shop.

I was council president during the RISE bond process.

It was referred to the ballot with a line item that in District 1 and District 11, it was 15.8 million that the voters voted for.

It was supposed to be one 7.9 million maintenance shop in D1 and 17.9 million maintenance shop in District 11.

Parks is diverting 5.4 million dollars.

They are throwing away equity.

Number one and number two, 80239 and 80249, Mont Bello, and Green Valley Ranch.

This shows clearly that there is no transparency around what the Parks and REC is doing, and so I appreciate my colleagues supporting tonight, taking the time to make sure that this legislation at least has Green Valley Ranch referenced in it because it is law.

We just voted on it, but I will be a no on this because there are still unanswered questions.

And Parks and REC, Director Clark has never come to District 11 to answer these questions directly, and we're not gonna go away on it.

So I will be a no tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you.

See no other comments in the queue.

Councilmember first, will you please put council bill 0476 on the floor for publication as amended?

Yes, ma'am.

Uh I don't see where it's at.

Anyway, um I uh move to put council bill 24-0476 on the floor as amended.

Seconded, Madam Secretary will call on Council Bill 0476 as amended.

Council Member Blaine.

Hi Lewis.

I'm sorry I and in case you couldn't hear Councilmember Parity, she said I also.

Thank you.

Gilmore.

No.

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Hi.

Cashman.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Torres.

Aye.

Watson.

All right.

Madam President Sandeville.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting announcement results.

12 eyes.

12 ayes, Council Bill 0476 has been ordered published as amended.

This concludes the items to be called out.

All bills for introduction are ordered published.

Council members remember that this is a consent or block vote, and you will need a vote.

Aye.

Otherwise, this is your last chance to call out an item for a separate vote.

Councilmember Torres, do you please put the resolutions for adoption and the bills on final consideration for final passage on the floor?

And do pass in a block for the following items.

26 series 0464.

Series 26, 0405, 0472, 0467, 0501, 0466, 0468, 0469, 0470, Series 25, 2085.

Series 26, 0422, 0390.

Thank you.

It's been moved and seconded.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Council members.

Aye.

Hi.

Lewis.

Hi.

Harry.

Aye.

Aye.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Aye.

Cashman.

All right.

Premier Campbell.

Aye.

Aye.

Watson.

All right.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting answer results.

13 ayes.

13 ayes.

The resolutions have been adopted and the bills have been placed upon final consideration and do pass.

On Monday, May 18th, 2026, Council will hold a required public hearing on Council Bill 0391, changing the zoning classification for 3232 Lambert Street in Five Points.

And a required public hearing on Council Bill 0476, changing the zoning classification for 4458 North Pearl Street, 5275 North Franklin Street in Glouville, and 4621 North Tally Right Street in Green Valley Ranch.

Any protest against Council Bill 0391 and 0476 may be filed with the council offices no later than noon on Monday, May 11th, 2026.

City Council will provide a general public comment session to hear from the public on city matters, except for any matter that is scheduled for a legally required public hearing.

The general public comment session will begin at 5 p.m.

There being no other further um okay.

Before we wait before we close the meeting, Councilmember Gilmore, you'd like to take a moment of proof conclusive.

Yeah, thank you very much, Councilman President uh sound of all.

Um I would be honored to um ask Lewis Talbot um to come up.

We knew that we had some business that we had to take care of, but um I would be honored if Louis um would want to let them share a few words about the Buffalo return at the microphone.

Oh, we talk we talk about sisnah in the shivit, not uh I'd like to uh mention my grandfather, my great great-grandfather, uh Hotel Ha Stoss.

That's uh how you say tall bull, tall buffalo bull in our language and our tistista language, our Cheyenne dialect.

And uh I just want to um mention uh the way uh it was told to me is that a long long time ago we had council just like this, and and everyone was there.

Grizzly wolf badger turtle, you know, the chief of the plains, the bison, each and every one of us were there, and we were council up and make decisions and a long long time ago.

The bison and the two-legged, the human beings.

We made an agreement that those bison would give the ultimate sacrifice and provide life to our people.

We made an agreement and they never they never stepped back on their agreement.

It's always been that way.

And it's like I'm already talking about it.

Y'all mentioned it, how the bison and the Indian people were together.

They were brother and sister.

They took care of one another, looked out for one another, provided shelter and clothing, and kept our children fed.

And then the government came along and found that yellow gold that makes white men go crazy.

And they made decision to annihilate the buffalo.

Because with every dead buffalo meant a dead Indian.

And the only good Indian is a dead Indian.

So I want to, you know, mention how significant, how important it is for us to be able to stand here on my own two feet right now and use my voice and make those sounds.

Because they didn't want us to live.

They didn't want our children to be alive.

They didn't want our culture, our songs, our traditions, our traditional way of life to exist.

But somehow, some way, creator made it so to where I'm here right now, talking about these buffalo as our relatives.

And I'm mentioning my grandpa's name.

And I'm carrying on, doing my humble best each and every day to wake up in a positive way and move forward with our lives.

Because everything was taken away from us.

Everything was stripped from us.

Our language, our culture, our songs, our traditions.

And then they were replaced with something alien, something not of this world.

And now each and every one of us, our children are suffering.

So I just want to mention how honored I am to be able to use my voice here today and speak good words on behalf of our relatives, the buffalo.

Creator made it so that we're still here to this day.

So I just really give thanks to each and every one of you that support us, that give us love and want to see us continue on.

Want to see us grow and then to hear the good news that our bison relatives can help cool this planet down.

To hear the good news that our bison relatives can help cure our people of our mental illness and our diabetes and our depression.

The bison are medicine to our people and it's medicine to the earth to our mother earth.

And Mother Earth has a fever right now.

She's not doing too good.

So I just really want to uh express those things and say how good it feels in my heart.

Makes me want to cry.

But they told us, you know, Cheyennes don't cry, you know.

We we we teach our children not to cry because we were always running from something, always running from the Calvary, always running from the army, always running from somebody who wanted to cause harm and take our lives.

So I'm trying to not get emotional, trying to speak for my heart.

And I just really want to give thanks to y'all can see me.

It feels good to be seen.

It feels good to have a voice and a place like this.

Feels good to be able to speak up for the bison because they they can't speak up for themselves.

They can't defend themselves.

And they're when that when they heard them gunshots when they would shoot bison, the bison wouldn't run off.

They'd they'd they'd stick their ground, they'd stand there and knocking each and every one of those bisons off till all the the whole prairie was bleached with bison bones.

Something I pray that we never have to witness or experience in our lifetime.

So I just want to say those few words and say those few things, you know, and I guess we can celebrate a victory today, maybe.

I'm still confused about what's really going on in the procedures and protocols of you people and what you guys got going.

But if something today good happened, I want to let you know that we're gonna celebrate.

We're gonna we're gonna we don't clap, you know.

Indians don't clap, we don't cheer like that, you know.

We uh we war hoop.

So uh just want to uh express those types of things and uh really appreciate y'all being here and giving me a chance to express myself.

So thank you, like from the bottom of my heart, seven generations back and seven generations ahead.

We're moving forward, and I really appreciate being able to be here and for our relatives, you know.

And I really appreciate being able to be here and for our relatives, you know.

Hey ya!

Thank you.

I also have a brief correction to the record.

The vote on amendment to council bill zero four seven six, due to technical difficulties, our secretary did not hear council member parody's I vote.

The amendment passed with a vote of 13 ayes, zero nays, not twelve ayes, and one abst one absence.

There being no further business before this body, this meeting is adjourned.

Thank you all.