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

Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now.

Good evening, everyone.

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

Today is Monday, April 27, 2026.

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.

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.

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, April 27, 2026.

Council members, please join Councilmember Gilmar in the pledge leaders.

Indivisible with liberal liberty and justice.

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

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

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

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

Here Gilmore here Gonzalez.

Here.

Eleven members present.

Are there corrections to the minutes of April 20th?

Seeing none, the minutes stand approved.

Council announcements.

Are there any council announcements this afternoon?

Councilmember I'll be there to start us off.

Thank you so much, Council President.

And we will be at the meeting that will be held this Wednesday, the 29th at 2 p.m.

Please contact my office if you want to attend District 7 at Denvergov.org.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watson.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh wanted to state again.

I think last Monday I spoke to the number of folks within our communities that are dealing with uh senseless gun violence.

Um we've had uh three individuals have been shot and and killed in district nine only, uh solely.

Uh we had another uh person that was shot on Friday um near about two blocks um from um my house in uh the wheat here uh community.

We want to thank the neighbors in the cole neighborhood for hosting a community dialogue specific uh for coal neighbors and folks surrounding to have a a place of space to speak to what they're feeling and how they are dealing with this, and also to hear from Denver police on the steps they're taken to make sure that families are safe and that they are um protected.

Um wanted to um inform folks that we there will be another meeting this Friday at in Curtis Park for five points for community members that want to engage in dialogue.

And then this Saturday from 10 uh to 12 o'clock at the Clayton Early Learning on Colorado and um LK.

We're having a discussion with Denver Police led by the Colorado Black Round Table, um, Senate President uh James Coleman and many others, the uh community members, um, faith communities, um, as well as Denver Police will be there to provide an update on what's occurring, and we'll also be there to answer questions and discuss next steps and to help to elevate community thought on things that we can do together together to combat this.

Uh, I want to share clearly to neighbors.

There are neighbors who are feeling um scared, feeling sad.

What you are feeling is fine.

You have a right to feel how you are in your community.

Know that our community uh city council members were here to listen to you and here to move forward on things we can go do together to reduce this crime.

So on Saturday, please come out to um the Colorado Black Wrong Table from 10 to 12 at Clayton Early Learning to speak, to listen, to heal, and to get clear uh next steps from Denver Police and all of the city partners that will be there on um to hear your thoughts and to take some action.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh, this Saturday is the first of what we hope will be every weekend, uh every Saturday through October of the new Harvey Park Farmers Market.

This is a complete volunteer effort.

I'm very impressed with the uh the energy in the community to put this together.

Local vendors, local products, uh sought out specifically uh because they are locally produced.

And uh sort of will be every Saturday morning from this Saturday, May 2nd until the end of October at Quince Miller Creative Arts Academy in the middle of Harvey Park at on the north northeast side of the school at uh Patton and Highliffe.

And so come on out, there'll be music, there'll be crafts, there'll be food, home produced uh goods, and uh enjoy yourselves over 50 local vendors, and we'll see you there.

Thank you.

Cool.

Councilmember Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I'm forgetting which week we're in, um, but I can't remember if it was last week or the week before.

Uh, but I wanted to congratulate Council President on your receiving of the North High School alumni.

I know we forgot.

Uh North High School Alumni uh North award uh at the at the alumni uh North High School Alumni Dinner.

Um, you know, the alumni association at North High School gives out millions of dollars of scholarships every year to students at North High School.

It's really amazing.

Um I think they said they have around almost three million dollars right now in their coffers for to give out for uh scholarships.

So it's um really it's a good organization, and and they continue to support the North High School community and the broader North Denver community, and the award was was for that.

It wasn't just about the school, but it was about the Greater North um and Northwest Denver community.

Councilmember Gilmer.

Thank you, Council President.

I um also wanted to share um that on um Sunday, April 12th, um, at approximately 1020 p.m.

Um, there was a shooting uh in Green Valley Ranch that resulted in a homicide, and the family and police are looking for any leads um that might um lead to arrests and justice um for Daya Carter um and her family.

Uh this um gun violence throughout the city um is definitely impacting uh every part of the city, and I think it's important that we continue to speak out um on this and encourage um folks to talk to their folks.

And you know, if you have guns in your household, um, make sure you have gun locks.

Make sure that you're locking them up, make sure that you're not leaving them in your vehicle overnight because that's the only way you think it's safe.

Reach out, um, reach out to a council office.

We're not going to report you to DPD.

We want you to be able to lock up your weapons safely so that they don't get into the wrong hands.

And then as we approach warmer weather, um, I encourage constituents to be very vocal with Mayor Johnston.

This is Mayor Johnston's job to make sure that we have appropriate funding for parks and rep programs, for sport programs, for science projects, to fund nonprofits that are community-led and community-based, so that there is already a built-in trust to make sure that we can keep everybody in our city safe, um, especially as we're seeing this uptick in violence.

And if you see something, say something.

We need everybody to be helping us make sure that our city is safe.

And if you have a park that you think is too dark or a section of your neighborhood with public transit, reach out again to your council person so that they can work with the proper entities to light up those places.

I think there's a false narrative that is being perpetuated across our city that police and that surveillance is the only thing that will keep us safe.

That is not true.

That is false.

Police are reactive, youth programs, mentoring programs, all of our other programs are proactive in helping families, helping others get access to resources.

And so I don't want the public to think that the police are always going to keep you safe.

We in community need to keep others uh safe, and so just wanted to make sure that that was um being brought forward, knowing that people are worried, rightly so, but that you have more power in your community to do something and to help out, and so wanting to inspire folks to do that as well.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Councilman Luther.

Thank you so much.

Um thank everyone who had the opportunity to come to one of three meetings that Councilman Gonzalez Gutierrez, myself, and Councilmember Parity hosted regarding municipal sentencing.

So thank you for the discussion.

It was deeply appreciated.

And then the second is to thank everyone who had the opportunity to attend our community panels over the weekend.

I'm going to shout out to my staff member Jesse Carey, and his work in his leadership and ensuring that our communities have a voice in developing our budget priorities.

So thank you.

So this Friday is the grand opening of La Rasa Park.

We hope to see you there at 4 30.

We will have a mariachi band from Brant Webster, traditional blessing ceremony, and also keep an eye on the weather.

75% chance of rain.

So bring an umbrella or a weather or a brain project.

But just come out.

It's gonna be great, even if it rains.

All right, seeing no other announcements in the queue.

There are no presentations, there are no communications.

There's one proclamation being read this afternoon.

Councilmember Watson, would you please read proclamation 0571?

I move that.

Uh oops, I don't want to move it yet.

Let me read it first.

Proclamation number 260571, uh, recognizing the Colorado Spartans and honoring the team's commitment to community accessibility and athletic excellence.

Um, whereas arena football is a fast-paced, high score, and professional indoor sport that provides athletes with a competitive platform while delivering and engaging fan first experience that blends sport and live entertainment, and whereas Denver has a distinguished arena football legacy, including the Denver Dynamite uh champions of the inaugural arena bowl in 1987.

Around 1987, I know I was that's when I moved to Denver.

And Colorado Crush, who I love and loved Arena Bowl champions in 2005, establishing the Mile High City as a historic center for the sport.

And whereas the Colorado Spartans were established as a National Arena League franchise in 2023, the end play in Loveland, Colorado, and have since relocated to the Denver Coliseum.

Uh returning professional arena football to Denver and building on the region's strong football tradition.

And whereas the city and county of Denver is recognized as one of the premier sports cities in the United States, and the addition of Colorado Spartans further strengthens Denver's identity as a dynamic destination for sports, entertainment, and community-centered events.

And whereas the Denver Coliseum serves as a historic and accessible civic venue that provides residents and visitors with the opportunity to experience professional sports in an intimate, high-energy setting that emphasizes connection between players and fans.

And whereas the Colorado Spartans are committed to delivering an engaging, family-friendly fan experience that combines the intensity of professional football with interactive entertainment, in-game fan engagement, player accessibility, and community-centered programming, designed to welcome fans of all ages while championing and investing in youth, public health, resilience, and well-being across the communities they serve.

And whereas Arena Football provides one of the most successful forms of professional sports entertainment, offering opportunities for family, youth, and community members to experience live sports in an inclusive and affordable environment.

And whereas the Spartans roster features accomplished athletes playing quarterback Paxton Lynch 2025 NAL defensive player of the year, Sam Hammond, and standout wide receiver Steven Newbold, who collectively uh represent excellence in athletic performance and sportsmanship.

And whereas the Colorado Spartans are committed to building strong ties across Denver and a broader region by supporting youth engagement, promoting health and wellness, and fostering community connection through sport.

And whereas home games at the Denver Coliseum contribute to local economic activity by supporting nearby restaurants, small businesses, and hospitality establishments, while activating the surrounding communities and reinfor reinforcing Denver's vibrant entertainment economy.

And whereas the Spartans leadership, including owner Tony Thompson, has demonstrated a clear vision to establish a team as a lasting civic asset rooted in community connection and long-term impact across the Denver metropolitan area.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, by the Denver City Council, recognizes the Colorado Spartans as a valued and welcome member of Denver's professional sports community.

And section two, that the clerk and record of the city and county of Denver shall affix the seal of the City County of Denver to this proclamation, and that a copy be transmitted to the Colorado Spartans and the National Arena League.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watson, your motion to adopt.

I move that proclamation 260571 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Watson.

Thank you, Council President.

I just want to share.

I am a massive arena football fan.

I used to go bonkers for the Colorado Crush.

Um, go to almost every one of their games.

I've ridden my bike over to the Coliseum several times since you all opened up.

Uh y'all allowed me to ride on the field in a what was it?

It wasn't a Ferrari.

What's the ones with a the a McLaren to ride on a fields and a McLaren to deliver the opening ball for Arena uh ball last year, and I love it to death.

The thing I love the most is the accessibility, the amount of kids running around screaming their heads off during the game, just loving the excitement and the fun of uh sports uh within our community.

Uh it is amazing.

We have professional players at all levels that are with our our team and uh look forward.

I know you made it to the playoffs last year.

Let's make you a champion this year.

Let's go all the way.

I am ecstatic, excited, and so happy to uh put forward his proclamation uh for my uh Spartan fans and Spartan uh crowd and Spartan professionals.

So thank you all for all the good you do in GES and throughout uh our neighborhoods.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, roll call, Council members, parody.

Hi Death.

Hi, Flynn, Gilmore, Gonzalez Gutierrez, aye, Lewis, Romero Campbell, aye.

Sawyer, aye, Torres, aye, Watson, Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the vote and announce the results.

Eleven ayes.

Eleven ayes, proclamation zero five seven one has been adopted.

We now have five minutes for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Watson, will you be invited enough to accept the proclamation?

I'd like to ask uh Tony Thompson to come on up for your Colorado Spartans.

Don't touch the mic.

No, no, it's right here.

There you go.

All right.

Well, good afternoon.

Um afternoon, madam president, councilman Watson, and uh cities of Denver City Council.

It's truly an honor to be here before you guys today.

Um, on behalf of the Colorado Spartans, our players, our coaches, dancers, staff, and families.

You know, thank you for recognizing our organization.

Um I brought the Spartans to Denver, uh, you know, we didn't just bring a football team, you know, we brought a commitment to the city.

Uh, we brought a commitment to its families, we brought a commitment to uh showing up and being positive role models for the youth.

And now uh I would say we're we're proud to be a part of the National Arena League.

Uh but more importantly, building this as a small business the right way.

Uh we're building it one fan at a time, one family at a time, and one relationship at a time.

Um, everything that we do is intentional.

We build something, uh, we're building something that's family friendly, it's affordable, and it's built around entertainment.

We want every person that walks into the Denver Coliseum to feel like they belong.

Um Denver already knows what a read of football could feel like if for those who are around in 87.

I was an 88, maybe, but uh the Denver Dynamite.

Um, and then the successful Colorado crush as well.

So fans remember that uh action packed arena and feeling really close to the entertainment, and that's what we're bringing back.

Uh, but you know, this is bigger than football.

Um, it's something that it gets kids active and it gets them off the sidelines into the game.

Uh, whether it's football or we have some amazing dancers as well, whether it's football or dance, um, or any activity that builds confidence and teamwork.

Our players and our dancers understand that this is something that we that we um we take very important because our our players and our dancers are not just performers, but they are role models, and it's something that they take very seriously on and off the field and in the community.

Uh, we believe in building something uh building strong and safe communities to touch on what you guys were talking about.

This is why our final game on May 30th has is themed Colorado Strong Communities Night.

And uh it's a night that we recognize first responders, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders who work every day to keep Denver strong and safe and connected.

Now, our vision is simple.

Uh, we want families in Denver to be able to afford professional sports experience.

We want kids to meet the players, get the autographs, and believe in something that's bigger that uh that's possible for these kids.

We want the Spartans to become a part of the rhythm of the city.

Uh we want a place uh where people could come together, feel connected, and be proud to represent uh their hometown.

We are grateful to play at the Denver Coliseum.

It keeps us connected to the communities.

Um, every fan who walks through those doors.

Um, they also help support local restaurants, small businesses, and the surrounding neighborhoods.

If you've never experienced arena football, I know councilman Watson's been there a couple times, but I'm gonna tell you this it's high energy, it's interactive, it's built for fans.

Our players um dance not as good as our dancers do.

But uh I tell people if you catch a football, you can keep that, but if you catch a player, you're gonna throw him back into the game, all right?

Um, we're not you know, I tell people as the Spartans, we're not just building a fan base, we're building uh good partnerships to support the neighborhoods.

And um I want to just I want to thank this council for welcoming us, believing in what we're building and recognizing the impact our team like ours can have.

And thank you again from this for for this honor.

You know, as someone who comes from the Yankton Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, this is an honor, and I'll I'll never forget it.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, please read the bills for um introduction from the Binance and Business Committee, 26-0367, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed funding and assignment agreement between the city and county of Denver, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, DHHA, and DHHA West Side Clinic, QA L I C B, to provide vibrant bond proceeds for DHHA to construct a new Denver Health Samsendos, Westside Family Health Center to provide affordable medical services and increase availability of care in Council District 3.

And from the Health and Safety Committee 26-0492, a bill for an ordinance approving a proposed intergovernmental agreement between the city and county of Denver and University of Colorado Hospital Authority to provide care treatment and supportive services to individuals living with HIV and AIDS in the Denver Transitional Grant Area, TGA citywide.

Thank you.

Council members, opportunity to call out an item.

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

Yes, Council.

Thank you.

Now I will do a recap.

Under resolution, Council Resolution 0491 has been called out for a vote by Councilmember Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Council Resolution 0569 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Lewis.

Council Resolution 0479 has been called out for comments by Councilmember Gilmore.

Under bills for introduction, no items have been called out.

Under bills for final consideration, no items have been called out.

Under pending, no items have been called out.

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

Council Resolution 0491, a resolution approving a proposed contract between the city and county of Denver and La Rasa Services Inc.

to provide care treatment and supportive services to individuals living with HIV aids in the Denver Transitional Grant T GA citywide.

Councilmember Gilmar, would you please put council resolution 0491 on the floor for introduction for adoption?

I move that council resolution 26-0491 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council on council resolution 0491.

Councilmember Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just call sound so that I can abstain from the vote just because of familial um relationships.

Yeah.

Sorry, I might sign during say yes.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on Council Resolution 0491.

Council members parody.

I'll be the best.

Aye.

Flynn.

All right.

Gilmore.

Gonzalez Gutierrez?

Yes, same.

Lewis.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer?

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting announcement results.

Nine ayes.

Nine ayes, council resolution 0491 has been adopted.

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

Council Resolution 0569, a resolution authorizing and approving the expenditure and payment from the appropriations account designated liability claims.

The sum of $80,000 and no cents made payable to Kolishki Law PLLC in full payment and satisfaction of all claims related to the civil action captioned Paul Turner versus Samuel Powell Powell, which was filed in for in the district court for the city and county of Denver case number 2024 C V034013.

Councilmember Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on Council Resolution 0569.

Thank you.

So after consistent feedback from my constituents, I see it as my responsibility to ensure that the public is aware of every tax dollar being approved as an expenditure and payment of funds for a settlement with the city and county of Denver.

My office is tracking every dollar by department and has a running total with your approval of 260569 tonight.

The approval of these items tonight brings the 2026 total for taxpayer dollars and city settlement settlements to 559,500.

This funding is drawn from a liability claims pool of money that is refilled when necessary from the city's general budget and does not come out of agency specific budgets.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Gilmar.

Thank you, Council President.

Um, I appreciate my colleague um calling these um these liability um claim settlements out and tracking the amount um that the city pays out on them.

Um I'm sure that a lot of folks have been tracking um in the news recently the almost 15 million that um has been awarded um to George Floyd protesters and I just want to um remind the public uh that these settlement dollars by the time they get to us there has been a lot of front-end work that has been done.

Um but most importantly, in the city and county of Denver, we have the Office of the Independent Monitor.

And the Office of the Independent Monitor is for all intents and purposes the police watchdog group that is a city agency that makes sure that the police are following proper call to reduce um officer involved um issues, especially use of force.

And so that is important because last week there was a meeting with the Citizen Oversight Board, which is a group of community members, just like anybody that would be watching the City Council meeting, that they have applied to be a member, a volunteer member of the Citizen Oversight Board.

And so last week there was a meeting of the Citizen Oversight Board, and it turns out that it was admitted in the transcript that anybody can go watch that there are no privacy laws on the books for drones that were gifted to Denver Police Department.

And so this came up a lot during the conversation with council on the axon axon cameras because they also do our body worn cameras and they do our tasers.

And so in that meeting, it was admitted that we don't have privacy laws for the drones, but what I want anybody who's listening this to take away is that there was a policy change, a rule change that was implemented by the Department of Safety on April 14th.

It has since been rescinded.

I say that with confidence because I was on the road this afternoon, and I called Chief Ron Thomas and asked him what is going on with this, because we pay these out, they are taxpayer dollars, these liability claims.

The George Floyd protests are liability claims that are paid by your tax dollars, the public.

A resolution approving and providing for the execution of a proposed grant agreement between the city and county of Denver and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for the Colorado Natural Resources Trustees Rocking Mountain Arsenal Recovery Program and the funding therefore.

Councilmember Gilmore, please go ahead with your comments on Council Resolution 0497.

Thank you.

Thereby putting those single family homes at risk along that entire stretch of 56th Avenue and Chambers Road.

I also just recently talked with the Denver Fire Department, and they are interested in looking at doing some volunteer-based training for community members to maybe help out with alerting them to any urban wildfire risks that we might see in large open spaces across the city.

Thank you, Council President.

Great councilwoman Sawyer.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, really appreciate Councilmember Gilmore bringing this up.

This is a question that we receive from our Lowry residents pretty frequently as well because of all the Lowry open space that is directly across from single family homes and especially this year given the um risk of fire uh wildfire that's happening because of the drought.

Um, you know, this is something that our residents have been really really concerned about.

And I just want to thank Parks and Rec and I want to thank the uh Denver Fire Department.

Um both of those agencies have been on the phone with my office.

Um are doing outreach to our constituents, having conversation with them actually tomorrow night.

Um so if you're a resident of East Park Lowry and you would like to join us tomorrow night, please do online uh 5 30.

Um but I just want to acknowledge all of the work that they have done in partnership with our office on this and I I really appreciate it, and I know that our residents really appreciate it too.

So thanks for bringing it up, Councilmember Gilmore.

Thank you.

This concludes the items to be called out.

All bills for introduction are ordered public.

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

I otherwise this is your last chance to call out an item for a separate vote.

Councilmember Gilmore, will you please put the resolutions for adoption on the floor?

Yes, Council President.

I move that the resolutions be adopted in a block for the following items.

The rest series of 26, 0264, 0625, 06, 0266, 0267, 0268, 0269, 0270, 0271, 0272, 0273, 0274 0275, 0276, 0277, 0278, 0279, 0280, 0281, 0282, 0283, 0284, 0285, 0286, 0287, 0288, 0289, 0290, 0291, 0326, 0473, 0474, 0493, 0494, 0495, 0496, and that is it.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Council members parity.

Albi that is.

I said Flynn, it's AIP.

All right.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Hi.

Lewis.

I Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

I.

Watson.

Hi.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting announcement result.

11 ayes.

The resolutions have been adopted.

Tonight there will be a required public hearing on Council Bill 030230.

Changing the zoning classification for 4211 North Hooker Street in Berkeley neighborhood.

And a courtesy public hearing on Council Resolution 0471, approving a proposed agreement between the city and county of Denver and Dream Center to occupy and provide programming at the former global rec center in Council District 9.

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

Before convening the regular meeting, City Council will 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 legally required public hearing.

The general public comment session will begin at 5.

Thank you.

Hey Denver, here's what's happening around the mile high this week.

Bring your gently love reads to Fiction Beer Company for a book swap.

It's the perfect way to keep your pile fresh.

Bring two or more books and leave with at least two new ones.

Show up by 6 p.m.

to get first pick from the selection.

This free market is filled with local vendors and eco-conscious inspiration.

Explore the vendor market, enjoy live music, and sip on themed cocktails.

Plus, don't miss out on giveaways like pollinator packs, hotel stays, and more.

Sequences include sitting, standing, and inverted postures, and suggest challenging variations for more advanced students.

Yet fun and non-intimidating options for newer students.

At Local Listens, Playwrights share two short plays inspired by the stories of our LGBTQ community.

This reading is part of the new play cycle from spark of inspiration to development to stage reading where you can participate in the process.

Following the reading, there will be a host facilitated conversation on the themes and topics expressed in the plays.

Get ready for an adrenaline pumping night of live pro wrestling action in the beer hall.

Witness jaw-dropping moves, intense rivalries, and electrifying entertainment.

It's the most fun you can have in Denver on a Friday night.

Bierstadt Lagerhouse brings you all the action from high-flying aerial maneuvers to bone crushing submission.

The Mini Derby is back.

Get your best dress on and check out the horse races, Corgi races, plus live music and entertainment all day.

There's going to be a best dress contest for men, women, couples, and even a best hat category.

To top it all off, you'll also get bottomless mint juleps.

Get into the Cinco de Mayo Spirit with a limited time taco crawl.

This walking tour hits four taco spots across the city with a lineup that mixes old school local staples and newer favorites worth knowing.

It's Less Tourist Checklist, more great tacos, and a reason to spend an afternoon eating your way across the city.

Stay up to date with what's happening in Denver by following today.

Please join us at our next session or submit your comments in writing.

The next session will be held on Monday, May 4th.

Madam Secretary, do we have to wait two minutes to start till 5 30?

Yes.

Okay.

I think the floors hit the water.

She's in your district.

Captain Amnius.

All right.

Council will now convene, reconvene from our earlier session.

There is no unfinished business from the earlier session.

There are no proclamations being read this evening.

We have one required public hearing and one courtesy public hearing this evening.

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 are promoted, please accept the promotion.

Turn on your camera if you have one and your microphone.

All speakers should begin their remarks by telling the council their names and cities of residence.

And if they feel comfortable doing so, 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.

Councilmember Gilmore, will you please put Council Bill 0230 changing the zoning classification for 4211 North Cooker Street in Berkeley on the floor for final passage?

I mean that Council Bill 26-0230 be placed upon final consideration and due pass.

It has been moved and seconded.

May we please tap the staff report?

Good council.

My name is Admiral Ramoselo.

I'm here with community plan development, and I'm here to present the rezoning for uh the aforementioned property at 4211 North Hooker Street.

Uh quick agenda for the presentation, as most of you are familiar with.

We'll start with the request, move on to location and context, which is just existing conditions.

Then we'll talk about the process for this rezoning to date.

Then lastly, the review criteria that was used to analyze this rezoning request.

The property is 12,500 square feet or about 0.29 acres.

Currently on the site, there is a single unit home and a detached garage.

The property is located in Council District 1 in the Berkeley neighborhood.

And it is zoned PUD547, surrounded by uh exclusively USUCCO6.

So that's urban single unit C Conservation Overlay 6.

The proposed rezoning is to align the property with the surrounding zone district to go to USUC C06.

This conservation overlay is meant to preserve the low-scale residential neighborhood.

And in this case, it's also referred to as the bungalow conservation overlay.

So the allowed building forms are the urban house, and there is a tandem house that is also allowed.

However, that is on select sites, but not does not apply to this property.

Similarly, we look at the land use and it is predominantly single unit.

There are some two-unit and multi-unit uses in the area.

However, the block is primarily single unit.

There's a lot of trees in the area, specifically for this site given the PUD or PUD's requirements.

And then to the north, we see a similar uh building form with just single unit or single and a half story buildings with uh pretty decent sized yards.

The process to date, we had the informational notice for this rezoning back out in December.

Planning board was noticed in February and heard also in February.

There was a unanimous vote to move this forward with votes eight to zero.

Then we had the uh committee hearing back in March, and today we are here.

To date, we have not received any RNO letters outside of what was uh received during the engagement process.

Uh, and we have also not received any comments from the public.

The review criteria will start with the consistency with adopted plans, starting with Comprehensive Plan 2040.

There are a number of uh vision statements that are met uh through this uh proposed rezoning.

So they are providing uh housing that is close to transit, they are promoting infull development where it is already allowed, and then they are offering a mix of housing, which could be uh facilitated with the allowance of an ADU if on this property.

With Blueprint Denver, it is remaining consistent, requesting urban.

That is what the U stands for in the USUC.

They are consistent with the residential low that is predominantly single and two-unit uses.

And then with a growth area strategies, it is uh accommodating the 20% of housing growth that would be coming into the area.

Lastly, there is uh there are additional strategies in Blueprint Denver that call to rezone properties from former Chapter 59 into the current Denver zoning code, which this property does.

Uh and then by implementing our citywide adoptive plans, it is in it is acting in public interest.

And then lastly, looking at the consistency with neighborhood context, zone district purpose and intent statements.

It is meeting all of those statements.

Similarly, it is meeting the uh purpose statement of the conservation overlay for the Harkness Heights area.

So, based on the criteria for review in the Denver zoning code, staff recommends approval of the application 2025 rezone 0000016 by the full city council.

And then the property owner and the representative are also present to answer any questions.

Thank you.

I think that was the quickest CPT.

It was like wow.

Um this is a rarity.

We have no individuals signed up to speak on council bill 0230 this evening.

Um, so we will move to questions from members of council on council bill 0230.

Councilmember Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh, I read the staff report, and I just want to make sure I understood that it seems to me that approving this rezoning makes that property fit in exactly with the rest of the neighborhood.

Because the PUD allowed for one use, and because of that, they cannot build an ADU in the back because it's a PUD, not SU.

Exactly.

So yeah, so the PD was written uh explicitly for the theater that used to be there in the basement, and then it had limitations on what the accessory structures could be used for.

And then with this rezoning, they are just facilitating the opportunity to build the ADU if they are if they were ever interested in that.

So yeah, it's it's move forward.

Yeah, rezoning from many years ago that stands in the way of the owner doing what everyone else is doing around them.

So thank you.

That's just want to make sure I understood it.

Thank you.

See no other questions.

The public hearing is closed.

Comments by members of council.

Um, council bill zero two three zero.

Um, this meets I feel all the criteria.

I worked on that bungalow overlay with this neighborhood for a lot of years.

So I would just ask your support for this property um as we move forward.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on Council Bill 0230.

Council members parity.

Albitrez.

Aye, Flynn.

All right, Gilmore.

Yes, aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close voting, announce the results.

10 ayes.

10 ayes.

Council Bill 0230 has passed.

Thank you.

Councilmember Gilmar, will you please put council resolution 0471 approving a proposed agreement between the city and county of Denver and Dream Center to occupy and provide programming at the former Global Recreation Center in Council District 9 on the floor for adoption?

And move the council resolution 26-0471 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

The courtesy public hearing for council resolution 0471 is open.

May we please have the staff report?

Good evening, members of council.

Hitsu Soranthia, community engagement specialist with Denver Parks and Recreation.

I will try to do uh the staff report just as quickly as the previous one.

Um so as mentioned, we are here to present a use agreement for the former Globeville Recreation Center.

Uh this is resolution 0471.

This is for a three-year use agreement with Denver Dream Center for $90,000 for use of the former uh Global Recreation Center in District 9 at 4496 Grant Street.

Um just some information on the request for participation.

The request for participation that was sent out last year in that was published on July 1st, 2025.

Use the previous 2017 RFP as a basis for this one.

Um what was included is making sure the use of the recreation center is a more traditional recreation center with a lot more rec activities, sports activities for the community, opening it up for active older adults, youth, um, in uh people of all ages.

The RFP closed on August 28th, 2025.

There were three responses that were scored by DPR staff, including two directors and administrative staff that did the scoring.

The evaluation criteria is here when you could see what was actually scored on these applications.

The first is the qualifications and experience.

This included um details on what type of programming and activities, how it's going to be scheduled, what the actual applicants would do at the recreation center.

The next was capacity and capability that included making sure that they have experience managing uh a building and programming of this size.

Really, where it was a lot of focus was on the operations.

So this included how many hours the center would be open, how they're maintaining the recreation center to make sure that the building is in good standing.

And if they offer child care, how that would be.

Compensation was also a part of it.

So a percentage of the criteria was what they would be paying, and then how they are how they include diversity and inclusion in their organization was also a portion of the criteria that was scored.

The selected vendor was Denver Dream Center, who is also here in case there are any questions for them.

They are a local nonprofit with over 15 years of experience working in with individuals with high impact programs.

Their headquarters are in five points.

Since then, they have served over 50,000, they serve 50,000 people annually and have distributed over 1 million dollars in meals since 2018.

They have a lot of strong partnerships, both in the community and community groups, and then some groups that are much larger than just within Globeville.

This are the terms of the agreement.

From the date where this contract is executed.

You could see the payments every year.

There's a small escalation in payment, totaling $90,000 at the end.

There's gonna be about 95 hours of operation at the recreation center that includes seven days a week that they will be open.

And then they have year-round activities to make sure that the facility is being used.

Most of their days they will be open from 7 a.m.

and go till 8 30 p.m.

And so they start their programming really early, starting with seniors and some of the programs that are offered then to them, followed by some of the adult programming and then youth later in the afternoon when they're out of school.

Since uh the previous tenant moved out, we've been working on making sure that the rec center is ready to be moved in by a new tenant.

Um it is now ready, so if this contract is approved and executed, the rec center will be uh ready for uh the new tenant to move in.

Again, we are requesting approval of 0471, which is the use agreement for 90,000 and three years to occupy the former Globial Recreation Center in Council District 9.

We do have both the executive director and deputy executive director here to answer any questions of DPR and our director of real estate is also here in case there are any questions for them.

We have this is a 15-minute courtesy public hearing.

We have uh I think eight people signed up, so we'll have a 16-minute public hearing, so each person gets three minutes.

I'm not gonna cut them off.

Yes.

Thank you, Council President.

The email that you had responded that to myself and councilman Watson, that you would be open to a full half an hour courtesy public hearing.

If we had folks to fill the time, there's eight people, three minutes apiece, that's 24 minutes.

That I would hope that we can have to hear from the entire community as your email specified that you would be open to a half an hour to hear from it.

If everyone's here, yeah.

Yeah.

Thank you.

When I got the information, not everyone had signed up.

So I was going off of what I had at one o'clock.

So first up, we have Pastor Brad.

Brian, Pastor Bradley, um, Brian Cederwall, the coming pastor being the executive director of the Denver Dream Center.

And um, our goal and hope was to be able to just expand services and support in the city.

When the um proposal for the Global Rec Center was opened.

Um we do a lot of youth and kid programming, and so this was an opportunity to look at a center that was specifically for this and and provide the hours.

And so our goal was and hope was to um provide more services in a community where we could bring the sports and the rec from adult through kids back to the recreation center.

Thank you.

Next up we have Aaron Batcher.

Tim is Aaron online Aaron, Erin, if you raise your hand.

Aaron, Aaron, if you raise your hand, thank you.

Hello?

Yep, yeah, I can hear you.

Go ahead.

Okay.

Hi, my name is Aaron Betcher.

I'm a resident of Centennial, Colorado, and I'm here today to speak about the Globeville Rec Center and the Bird Seat Collective.

Um, the Denver Park and Rec Advisory Board has a mission statement, and this mission statement drives their decisions and is the principle that they are beholden to.

Um, and it's it's as thus support the values of sustainability, equity, engagement, and sound economics as detailed in the Denver Park and Recreation Game Plan.

I think that all of us here today want what is best for the community in Globeville.

I think we are all here today because we want what is best, and we want what is fair and equitable in the process as well, and that we all want to hold the values of Denver Park and Rec to be true and choose the best in it tenant to occupy and provide the best services for the Globebill community.

Um my concern, and I think um something that we my friends and I we've sort of wondered about too is the the RFP scoring has not been shared.

The rationale for choosing Denver Dream over Birdseed has not been transparent.

And now Denver Dream is sitting waiting to provide services for the community.

And um, in the presentation today, there's a lot of talk about making sure this uh kids were able to get a lot of activities and sports.

And I wonder if that was an opportunity that was provided to the bird seed collective, and they knew that that was something that was expected out of them, um, considering that this was all done off of an existing RFP that bird seed was approved for.

Um, and I'm just wondering if this was all something that they knew about as well.

Um, today I think a pause should be put on this process because the selection process has not been clear and the timeline going back to July 2025, and the first mandatory meeting is unclear and not transparent.

And at this point, I think the stakeholders involved are feeling left out of this process.

This whole process should be done again with input of the Globeville community.

It should be transparent, and the scoring for the RFP should be uh public as well.

Too much of this been has been behind closed doors, and I believe is eroded the trust that the community has with the Denver Park and Rec leadership.

And um, thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next up we have Milo Milo Vasquez.

Valdez, sorry.

Good evening, good evening.

Um, my name is Milo Valdez, uh, representing Gloville First.

We also put in for the RFP as an applicant.

Um, we do a lot of things in the neighborhood.

One of the biggest concerns that I like to address to everyone is the facility not being utilized right now.

It's it's been sitting there for over four months since this RFPI came out and decisions made.

And now we've sat here and we've talked to Mr.

Watson, we've talked to Parks and Rec about a partnership with Brian and the Dream Center to start bringing sports and those kind of programs and resources back to the community and help bridge that gap for the community outreach.

As you guys all know, there's a lot of growth going on in that area, and there's a lot of organizations that are really capitalizing on not having the outreach properly engaged.

With that being said, we would utilize this space there to start having these kind of meetings and to inform the community of not just this type of situation, but of the changes they want to make with our streets, the data center.

You know, there's there's quite a few different things going on in that area and a lot of organizations ain't really keeping the majority of the residents there informed.

You have a lot of outsiders coming in and forming opinions about it and well educated, well spoken.

But what our focus is is to get the people who actually have been there for generations, such as you know, myself.

I mean, I don't reside there as today.

I live in North Glen, but I have a father-in-law, brother-in-law's aunties, uncles who still reside in the Gloville Larry Swansea area, so I have strong ties there, and then the nonprofit is based out of Gloville.

But one of the biggest currents concerns I have right now is it's wasted space.

The community hasn't had space of its own to be informed to have meetings.

I know everyone here's probably attended a meeting there once or twice where you have maybe three people from the community, and then you have nothing but organizations making these type of decisions for the community, and we're trying to flip that over and have a majority of community members attend, and then the organizations be the minorities there instead of the majority making these type of decisions.

So that's one of the biggest focus I want to put on is oh, let's utilize that space.

Let's let's get it to the community.

And this has been delayed for some time already.

Um we're looking forward to the partnership that again we've been reassured of from Mr.

Watson from Parks and Breck that and Brian and all of us had worked together, you know, to get some sports and programming back to the community.

Next up we have Marcus Weaver.

First, I want to thank everyone who reached out, calls, texts, and messages behind the scenes.

I mean, you said the same thing I'm about to say today, and you're glad I spoke up.

But you also understand why people stay quiet when funding and relationships are involved.

Let's get to the truth.

What is a white savior complex?

A white saver complex shows up in the organization, positions itself as the solution in communities it's not rooted in.

Controls, resources, access and the narrative, relies on visibility, events, photos, and outreach over measurable outcomes, fails to document impact while still receiving funding and recognition.

Repackages or replaces work already being done led by community-based organizations.

This is a pattern that nonprofit sector uh recognizes.

How it applies here just didn't start yesterday.

How many of us have seen limited historical presence in the community, sudden visibility once funding and facilities appear, claims of serving tens of thousands without documentation, outreach heavy programming without structured trackable services, expense expansion that outpaces even proven results?

Let's be direct.

If you say you serve 5,000 people, prove it.

Where's all the reports?

Where is the data?

Where are the outcomes from the Dream Center?

I mean, Denver Dream Center.

I don't want to confuse it with the real one.

What the public record shows is according to a reporting, a report from College Public Radio, the Denver Dream Center received $693,000 through caring for Denver Foundation.

Funding that was designated for behavioral health services, including clinical support.

When asked, they could clearly not clearly report how many people were served.

Outcome and follow-up data were never provided.

The funder itself expressed disappointment in those results.

If funding is allocated for behavioral health services, especially services that imply licensed care, then the expansion is clear.

Who provided those services?

Were they licensed?

How many individuals were treated?

What were the outcomes?

Those are not optional questions.

That is the baseline for accountability.

Where the disconnect is, we continue to see outreach events, food distribution photos of visibility, but not decumented pathways to employment, verified housing placements, measurable behavioral health outcomes, and long-term stability matrix.

And that issue, and that's the issue because outreach without outcomes becomes optics.

And when images of struggling black and brown communities are used to represent impact without data to support real change, that raises a concern.

Why this matters to these neighborhoods, communities like Glowville, Green Valley Ranch, and others don't need more visibility-based programs.

They need jobs, licensed trackable services, organizations rooted in a community.

So the question is why are community-based culturally rooted organizations being overlooked while organizations without clear military outrooms are continuing to be funded, like the Dream Center.

I mean, the Denver Dream Center.

Thank you.

Next up we have Rebecca Trijhio.

But more importantly, I'm representing Gloville.

I am a long time resident of Gloville, many generations of Globeville and my family.

And I think the important thing here is community.

There have been, you know, times where I was a kid and sports was the thing.

You know, being involved in sports, having a place to go to, having a safe place after school, you know, in between school.

Um, that's where a lot of things can happen in a in a negative way.

So I think the main thing um to focus on is mainly our youth.

You know, that's the generation that we're bringing up.

That's the next to be in line to be citizens of this community.

And like Milo said, you know, right now it's just wasted space.

We could be doing so much running a lot of different programming out of there, and I feel like right now it's just it it's it's being wasted.

Um we got big hopes that this partnership will allow us to bring a lot of programming in there because right now we don't have a space.

Um Milo, we're literally boots on the ground.

Um it's a different feel for us because most of the residents they know us on a personal level.

They've seen me and Milo grow up in that neighborhood.

Um, they've seen my mom grow up in that neighborhood.

So we have a lot of deep roots and really great ties to this community, and it's our obligation as community members to uphold, you know, what they need.

And right now they need a space, they need programming.

A lot of programming that we offer um is kind of being limited because we don't have like a dedicated space to meet um and those kind of things.

So thank you.

Next up, we have Scott Gilmore.

Hello, City Council members.

Um, thank you very much, Scott Gilmore.

Um, I just wanted to um speak to you about this this handling of this contract shows the clear pattern of disrespect of the Denver community by Denver Parks and Recreation.

Years of building trust with communities around this city have been destroyed in such a short time by the lack of accountability and transparency from the current leadership of this department.

Over the last year, numerous issues and concerns have come to light.

The non-renewal of the small business minority-owned will will of fund by DPR under the guise of expanding outdoor recreation.

D par DPR expanded outdoor recreation opportunities in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city, Wash Park, and put an end to a minority-owned business to generate revenue.

The question is: should DPR be concentrating so much on general generating revenue?

And shouldn't those opportunities for outdoor recreation be concentrated toward neighborhoods that are of need.

We I just don't understand that.

The underdesign of the Curtis Park Pool, which is now going through a redesign after a public outcry costing a lot of additional funds.

The illegal theft of 5.4 million dollars from my neighborhood in District 11, which no park maintenance shop with no park maintenance shop to build a massive park office complex downtown and the funding of over 17 million dollars in district one for park shops.

Exclusion of an LGBTQ swim team from a recenter.

All these are issues that have come up just recently.

You now have in front of you this questionable three-year contract selecting Dream Center to occupy the Globeville Rec Center.

I am going to thank Milo and the um Globeville First for being here.

Um I know I've worked with them trying to build the 44th in Pearl Park, and I hope that gets built because I don't trust this department to build it.

Um to be in there.

Birdseed, um, a longtime community organization was the only group to submit RFP, but after this administration decided that they want a dream center in the building, it seems like this RFP was just managed.

The RPS was reopened to allow Dream Center to apply and be selected for this three-year contract.

DPR says there's only an authentic community engagement in three years.

They're gonna have engagement in three years for the next group to select the next occupant of this facility.

You can now see why no one trusts DPR at this time.

I have worked with Glowville community members in umlyria and Swansea, and this is why they have to say we can't criticize Dream Center, or they will be fit, um, they will be forced out and will not be allowed access to the building.

It feels like we have just invited in the colonizers to our our neighborhood.

It feels like DPR is handing out smallpox blankets.

That's what community members are saying.

They're they won't say that out loud, but that's what they're saying.

Um they're having a meeting.

Dream Center is having a meeting this week with um Al Gardner, and it just seems like it's quid pro quo.

There are just some real concerns about how this contract came about, and please hold DPR accountable.

Thank you.

And our last speaker is Kyla Green Great House.

Yes, ma'am.

Oh, do we?

Oh, Jeffrey Ling, sorry.

Jeffrey Lang.

Uh new and no area.

Uh Kyla Great House.

Yeah, but we I think you have to have your name match.

Let's sign up for you.

Kyla, if you'll accept a promotion.

Oh, she's not here.

Okay.

That ends our public comment.

That concludes our speakers.

We have questions from members of council on council resolution 0471.

Um thank you so much, Council President, and thank you to everyone that uh signed up for the public hearing.

I thought it was important to hear community voice.

So thank you so much, Councilmember Gilmore for putting this forward.

Um, John Martinez, um, we've got uh two questions for you.

Um Director Clark, I'll have questions for you, and then um Pastor B, I'll have a few questions for you.

Um, John, during the committee uh discussion, I asked you these same two questions.

Um can you clarify why no public process occurred for this RFP?

I know that Jesus spoke to that a little bit, but I would love for here from your voice.

And then um, can you restate your commitment for public process if this is passed, what that timeline is for that public process if this three-year um uh contract is passed for any future contracts within Global Air Swanson.

Uh good evening, Council members John Martinez.

I'm the deputy executive director of Harks and Recreation.

Um, as I mentioned in committee, um I made this decision personally to not do a community engagement process.

Um, hindsight 2020.

I dropped the ball, right?

On that, and I take full accountability.

Um I was going off the 2017 um when we did a very robust community engagement process um and the scope of work was still relevant to what we were looking for in a traditional rec center.

Uh so again, I take full responsibility and ownership.

Um as far as my commitment, if this is passed, day one, I will be working with the Dream Center and Gloville First on a community engagement plan a year and a half into it.

Again, that's when we're gonna go out to the community and make sure that we get it right the next time.

Thank you so much, uh, Mr.

Martinez.

Director Clark, I've got uh two quick questions for you.

Um had uh some community questions on this, so um not specific to this contract, but I think it's pertinent.

Um my first question would be can DPR sell the center uh to community?

That's the first question.

And the second, why has it taken five months for this to come or vote?

Uh the center has been closed for five months.

Can you please provide some information on that?

Thank you, Councilmember.

Good evening, City Council Joan Clark, executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation.

Um the answer to your first question is no, this center cannot be sold.

Um, this is on designated parkland, and so it has to remain with the city.

The only way that could change is through a vote of the people.

So I guess technically to your answer, someone could propose to go to the voters to get approval to sell the land, but otherwise, uh absent that no.

Um, and not something we would be supportive of.

Um, and then your second question.

Oh, five months.

Yeah, uh a lot of different things.

Um we try to move as quickly as we can, but obviously moving from one vendor to the next, we gave extra time to uh the folks who are in there to get moved out.

Um we had to renegotiate, you know, negotiate this new contract with a new vendor, our mighty team who does all of our contracting on hundreds and hundreds of things in our processing and DPR is only five people, and we had two of them uh um who uh moved on to new jobs uh during that same time period, and so um, you know, our staffing uh uh level with all the reviews uh was as quick as as we could get it to you.

Thank you.

Um Director Clark and Madam President, I have just one final question for Pastor B.

Um, sir, can you share your plans for coordinating with community?

Um specifically um Birdseed, Global First, and other members if this uh contract um is approved.

Yeah, absolutely.

And we're our purpose is to support the community.

And so we've reached out and had extensive time with Anthony and Birdseed and have actually worked on multiple projects over the last couple of months for the community, supporting his work.

He's been at the Dream Center.

We've been in the community together.

We're doing a bit next Saturday.

So the conversation is supporting the work that he's doing and in collaboration.

Uh we've got an extensive proposal from Milo and Rebecca from Global First of programs, hours to fulfill 90 plus hours in the community center.

Uh, is going to take multiple organizations to facilitate that.

And so we've been meeting uh pretty extensively with all the conversations come together.

Thank you, Mr.

B.

Thank you, Matthew.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Councilwoman Parady.

Yes, can you all hear me?

I've had some audio issues this evening.

We can you're good, you're thank you.

Um I wanted to ask Pastor B a few questions about um other city contracts that the Dream Center has held.

Um, and in particular, I'm I'm aware because of being a member of the Crime Prevention and Control Commission that the Dream Center has received funding through CBCC for I believe like re-entry related work.

Um, and then I have a memory that the Dream Center also had received a contract to do uh like community ambassador street outreach type work um in the ballpark district, I think.

And then I believe that maybe there was also a caring for Denver grant at some point.

And so I just would love to know if you could outline for us like what different city contracts um you have had in the past and and what the status of those are now.

Yeah, our first um contract uh for caring for Denver involved as was referenced earlier, uh, the youth um uh caring for Denver contract with with Behavior Health.

Uh unfortunately, MPR did come do a report.

We invited them in to see what we were doing, and the information related to the news wasn't a hundred percent accurate.

We did have a licensed clinician, we use harvest therapeutic.

We have all the reports and submitted um resources with that.

We met with Juan, their uh oversight every month to do our reports.

Um again, we'll be honest that was a struggle to fulfill the quota, but the uh the requirements were met.

Um our host um engagement actually started as a merging contract in 2023 when the city was facing uh the homeless crisis, primarily 21st and Curtis at the post office.

So we formed a team with the mayor and the city to engage that that became a contract underneath host, and that was uh about two years, but that ended in December.

We had a contract for OCVS doing gang intervention prevention work um for two years, but the funding for that um was running short, and so that contract ended um through OCBS, and then the CC or the CPCC we are part of for the last couple of years.

So those are the four contracts we've had with the city.

Okay, and I don't know whatever NPR reporting you just referenced.

I actually wasn't aware of that, so I might need to ask for some clarity about that too.

But um, I just the the reason that I'm asking is because um I was a little bit surprised to see this contract coming up um for a recenter, given that I have seen um I've interacted with the Dream Center mostly around um a really different kind of set of issues, which isn't to say that a nonprofit can't do more than one thing and do it well.

Um, but I also in transparency to colleagues, I in the context of the CPCC grant.

Um there was a concern, and I my colleagues who are also on that commission were I believe also in this meeting about reporting not having been received from the Dream Center for those contracts.

Um, and I know there was also that concern for caring for Denver, such that Caring for Denver um, I believe would not fund the Dream Center again.

So can I ask Director Clark or or Mr.

Martinez um if that came up at all in the RFP process?

Like, is that something that we look at is sort of successful reporting under past city grants?

I know you wouldn't have access to caring for Denver because they're not technically part of the city, but is that it was that part of the process.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

I just checked with the team here, and no, that was not part of the um our did not come up during the RFP um yeah, I I really sort of can't believe that this was done without public process.

If you're gonna switch who's providing these kind of services to a neighborhood, um yeah, I I'll just say this there's no way I can vote yes on this given the lack of a public process um and my confusion about going from Birdseed, which had been operating to my understanding successfully for six years in the space um to another organization that you know would be new, right?

So um I think that's all my questions.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Gonzalez could get it.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um let me ask Parks and Rec, and I don't know if that's Director Clark or Mr.

Martinez, but it's um a couple questions about like the RFP piece, and um I guess my first question is is what happens if this doesn't pass with what is the next steps?

Great question, Councilwoman.

Uh, if this does not pass that building, we would have to start over, and that building could sit uh vacant for another six months or so.

Okay.

Um can you tell me for the the RFP?

I was trying to look for, I just keep seeing the the lease agreement or the agreement language.

What what was that request for?

Like what were the parameters of the RFP?

Like what were you all asking for for this space to be filled with?

So a lot of that was like a traditional recreation center, so youth programming, senior programming, um, all the things that we offer in a in a traditional rec center.

Um and so also with you know having a food pantry, um, and so that was just some of the criteria.

And Jesus is actually on the selection committee.

So Jesus, if I missed anything, uh please come and add.

Um I do want to say thank you for for just being forthright about you know the decision that was made.

It is unfortunate.

I did have members in the community that reached out and and said we were told that there would be a community process um when this came up for an RFP.

And so I thank you for making the statement that you made.

Um and I guess that part of that question then is is if this doesn't pass and you start all over, would you would you then engage a community process?

Absolutely.

And one thing I want to state for the record, uh I'm actually from Global Swan St.

Hilarious, so um I do have connections to the community.

I might my folks still live there, my family lives there.

Um again, I um I own my decision, and if I had to do it again, um I would have a different different decision.

I thank you for that.

Um my other question is is there any consideration as far as the community that this is in, right?

So whether it's a rec center in um Southeast Denver or you know, where it's at right now in Globeville, like considering the the neighborhood and the residents of that neighborhood, aside from a community process, but when you're reviewing an RFP for a specific neighborhood, are you taking into consideration the people who live in that neighborhood as far as like what might be because I'm reading things about like cultural this and all of these things, and I'm not of the work that I know of the uh Denver Dream Center, I'm not aware of their involvement and like the things that I know that the Global community community is involved in, if that makes sense.

Like I don't know if there's a connection there, like those pieces.

And so are those things taken into consideration?

They they are, and so we referenced the 2017 when we did that robust community engagement process.

Um, and so uh that's what we went off of that scope of work.

Uh and you know, Denver Dream Center, when you looked at the proposals, they checked a lot of those boxes, and it was really around access and opportunities, um, number of hours.

Uh and so one of the things that you know, after the fact, um, I made a, you know, I'm actually gonna manage this partnership agreement.

Um, you know, and I grew up with Milo um in Glowville first, so you know, making those connections, uh working with Pastor B to make sure that we have more partners, because at the end of the day, my priority is to provide service to the community, whether it's one partner or 10 partners.

Um so that's what I've been doing behind the scenes is getting those groups together um to make sure that day one we don't miss a beat.

Are we able to get access to those documents?

Like the the 2017, like what you utilized from the 2017 RFP, and then also are we able to get access to the the response from the Denver Dream Center, your RFP response?

Jason or ASUS.

I know the 2017 RFP was sent out to council, I believe.

About the proposals.

So we we could provide both the 2017 and this RFP.

I will try to attempt to uh to respond to to your second question of because this is still an open procurement, right?

The contract has not been approved, has not been executed, those cannot the scoring cannot be released.

So um so we would not release the the scoring of any of the three proposals that were scored.

I'm not asking for the scoring, I'm asking to see what they responded, like what was their proposal that they submitted.

That that would still fall under the open procurement.

After depending on how this pans out tonight, then we could access the information.

I will let Jason respond to that since that's more of a legal question.

Thank you.

That's in case if this did have to go back out that nobody is you know curbing off of each other's uh proposals to to resubmit.

Okay, thank you so much.

Um I was gonna ask some questions for the Denver Dream Center, Pastor B.

Um you tell me what your familiarity is with the Globeville community when you um when deciding to to um to submit a proposal?

Yeah, we uh do a uh a program called Adopt the Block.

So we've been in several communities in the city of Denver for about 20 years in building relationships, networking with Denver Police Department, Denver Housing Authority, um, Denver Police Department, whatever whatever agency organizations are in there so that we can meet the needs of the community.

And then we work closely with that community.

We do a lot of that in Westwood, West Ridge, Quig Newton's.

So it's very community based and a very meticulous process.

We have people that uh volunteer and um have been part-time with us at the Dream Center, Pat Rodriguez and his family from Globeville.

Um so we've done over the years events in Argo Park, we've done Christmas distributions and supplied to them and their families.

So we've been in the neighborhood in the community, and you know, we're on 21st in Curtis, so we're not far from that neighborhood and from that community.

So it sounds like there's a lot of work being done to collaborate, you know, if this were to go forward and to come up with a uh I guess a plan for what kinds of things would be put in place at the center.

Um, I guess did you have plans that you were already looking at um implementing or programs that you were looking at implementing?

We submitted the proposal.

So in there, there's a whole breakdown of 95 hours a week of adult family, youth, everything from food bank to sports to rec to art, but um also having a proposal from global first of 40 plus hours from them.

So it's a collaboration and combination of community-based from what we know, and then the sports and rec pieces that we uh think would benefit.

Is there consideration to how the space was being utilized before?

I know there were the dançantes, I think that used the space to practice.

Um there's murals.

I don't know if those ended up getting painted over or not, um, that were in the gym.

Um, I'm just curious, like that space that was you know, the way that it was curated was was intentional.

Um, are any of those things still going to be considered?

Yeah, everything's considered, nothing's been changed.

I mean, we don't have a contract, so we don't have ownership or authority to say yes or no to anything in the facility.

We fielded emails from people that were in there before.

We've let them know that it's an open conversation, whether it's floor hockey, basketball.

I came and met with the Essex dancers that were there and saw them do their their um uh uh Tuesday or Thursday night, whatever it was when they were there.

So, yeah, we've had conversations, but we're not in a place of authority to say yes or no to anything.

All right, thank you so much for answering the questions.

Um I do have a question.

I don't know, Mr.

Martinez is probably Jesus, because I had heard a rumor that the murals were painted over for the changing of the like ECs, and so I'm just curious.

Did that happen?

Uh we've actually only painted over two that were not uh in line with our mission and vision uh as far as what we allow in our rec centers, but everything else was was stayed the same.

So and we just redid the gym floor, um, but only two murals were painted over.

Okay, all right.

Thank you so much.

Uh thank you, madam president.

Thank you.

Councilman Gilmer.

Thank you, Council President.

Um my first question is for um director Clark.

Director Clark, how many years was the Bird Seed Collective in the Globeville Book Center?

Uh thank you for that question, uh Councilwoman Gilmore.

Uh we put the RFP out in 2017.

Um they got in the building in late 2018 when COVID hit, they actually had to shut down.

And so we actually did an extension um after COVID to keep them in there uh longer to give them their full.

How long were they shut down during COVID?

Because that was literally a couple of months, and then we started doing remote food drives, vaccinations, et cetera.

As far as full access to the facility, they were not allowed to do it.

I mean, that was a city rule that we weren't uh having.

They were doing some food boxes, but other than that, they weren't uh functioning as a traditional community center.

So it's 2018, 2017.

Late 2018.

I can get through the exact uh timeline of when they were and when we shut down and when we expanded uh extended time.

That's good enough before the pandemic, um, they were serving the community.

Um you take full responsibility, which is much appreciated for not doing a public outreach process.

Why would you have just assumed that the criteria that was okay for the RFP prior to a global worldwide pandemic would not require any public outreach when you're proposing to release an RFP in 2025?

Again, Councilwoman, we were going off the scope of work from the 2017, which checked a lot of the boxes around what a traditional rec center offers.

So, you know, youth programming, arts and culture, um, food distribution, there's all the programs that we do in the traditional recenter.

All right.

Um thank you for that.

Um so who was on the decision making committee?

You had mentioned Jesus was on there.

Could you just for the public record say who was exactly exactly?

So is part of our community engagement team.

Um we got two recreation directors, um, and then we had our contract compliance officer.

Okay.

Were you one of the recreation directors who was on that decision making?

I was not.

I recuse myself because my relationships with Globale First, Birdseed, and the Demer Dream Center.

Okay.

Um, and then um with the um pre-bid meeting um that was well, you know what?

I'll go ahead and go to Jason.

Thank you for that.

Um, Jason, I've got a couple follow-up questions um that.

Um so when was the first pre-bid meeting held?

I don't know.

Okay.

Um it was 17, it was July 16, 2025.

Um why was there a second pre-bid meeting held?

I don't know.

That um there uh the details and kind of the specifics of the process, the and the timeline and so on.

I was not no one consulted with me about it.

Okay, great, awesome.

Okay, thank you, Jason.

Appreciate that for the public record.

Director Clark, these questions are for you then.

Um because this is your you sign off on these contracts ultimately and where they go.

So um why was there a second pre-bid meeting held?

And go ahead.

Jesus, if you have to answer it for the director, but introduce yourself.

Again, his sister, the community engagement specialist with Denver Parks and Recreation.

Thank you, Councilmember, for the for the question.

So the first pre-bid meeting was only one applicant attended because this is a competitive process.

It is best practice to uh open up the process again.

So the RFP had an addendum where it got extended for a second meeting, and it also extended the time for when uh people could uh go to the RFP.

At that second meeting that happened on August 7th, there were three uh potential applicants that came and we received three applications uh on August 28th when when the proposals were due.

Were there any um emails, text messages, or contact with the Dream Center asking them to submit an RFP?

None that I'm aware of, and none from those that were scoring.

Okay, but we do not have representatives from the Department of Safety or the Mayor's administration here unless somebody is here that could answer those questions.

They were not part of the RFP process, so I don't know of any communication that happened outside of the the selection process and what we were doing in in the recreation center.

All right, I appreciate that.

Um so um there were two um pre-bid meetings held, one where Dream Center was the sole entity, but it went out over Bitnet.

Um it went out to the entire community, but then Parks and Rec decided to hold a second pre-bid meeting, whereas it was Dream Center, Globeville first, and Birdseed Collective were the three organizations that were there.

And so um this question is definitely for Director Clark.

I'm not gonna ask you to answer this question.

Um Director Clark, are parks buildings going to be used for the Department of Safety now?

We'd have no plans for park buildings to be used by the Department of Safety that I'm aware of.

Okay.

Are you currently using parks buildings in City Park for homeless outreach?

Um all in mile high uses, etc.

Are there there are parks be buildings currently being utilized for the all-in-mile high program, correct?

Not that I'm wearing GS is occupying a building that was going to sit empty, something that was uh worked out by Scott Gilmore when he was with the department, but I'm not aware of any other buildings in City Park being used for any of that.

Okay, all right, you're on the record for that.

So okay, good deal.

Um how can you actually say that parks buildings are not going to be utilized for the Department of Safety when we know that these services that are being provided by the Dream Center historically have been utilized to help issues in parks?

Paco Sanchez was one of those parks that the Dream Center, the Denver Dream Center, was very, very involved.

Um that was a multi-agency um collaboration.

Um, but is um the dream center still involved with Paco Sanchez Park?

That's a question for you.

You're the one who handles the contracting and everything.

You don't know if the Dream Center is currently involved with Paco Center?

But are you still involved at Paco Sanchez Park?

You'll have to come to the you can go ahead and sit down then, Director Clark.

If Brian, you want to come up and introduce yourself and answer that question.

Ryan Seedwall, Denver Dream Center.

Um we have uh permits that we do adopt the block at Paco Sanchez Park and at Westridge neighborhood on Saturdays.

Okay, so it's only on Saturdays then that you're in Paco Sancho's or serving that community?

Correct.

How um often were you there?

Um, say in the last year up to two, three years back, when basically when Mayor Johnston started.

At Paco Sanchez?

Um we've been involved in that community for 18 years, but uh a couple years ago when there was a spike in violence, DPD was reporting uh a need there.

So um we've we partnered with just providing services.

Um I mean, probably once a week for the course of June, July, and August.

So sort of the summer activation, just helping uh do a barbecue, play flag football, just create safety in the in the park.

Okay, all right.

So parks activities playing football, a barbecue.

Um El Grupo and other um cultural um programs relevant to Latino, indigenous um communities.

Um are you well versed in those or do you solely rely on partners for that work?

Um that's a good question.

I mean, say those groups again.

Oh, Grupo Cultural Dance Groups?

It's the group that has historically been dancing there on Tuesdays and Thursdays, like led by Carlos Cosmic.

Well, it it could it it could apply to Paco Sanchez, it could apply to Montbello.

Yeah, I thought sorry.

I thought you were asking about roots at Paco Sanchez, we're talking about the colour.

I would hope that that community also has those um organizations that do that work, but no, um Globeville.

Yeah, again, we we went down and met with their their leadership, got to see them at the Global Rec Center and had an initial conversation to see what they do.

All right.

Um, with your organization, um, you do understand the um the history between um Christianity or Catholicism and majority Latino communities.

Can you tell me a little bit about the history that you understand that way?

I mean, I I can but I didn't we're we're not taking on the contract to be and provide religious services.

The contract is to provide sports rec community engagement services.

Will you pray in the Globeville building?

Will you have a crucifix up on the wall?

Will you have quotes from the Bible?

We have a contract.

I have no way to answer that question.

I mean be no different than a mural that's on the wall or something depicting the faith or the dance group that's there now.

I mean, we don't have an answer to that.

I mean, it's a community center, and we understand the uh opportunity of the public space.

All right, I will leave it at that.

Um thank you.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Councilman Alvideres.

Thank you, Council President.

Um my questions are for you, Pastor B.

Thank you for the work that you do in community.

Um I am a little bit confused just about the organization as a whole.

Are you a church?

Are you a religious organization?

Are you a nonprofit?

We're a faith-based nonprofit.

Okay.

Um how do you separate religious beliefs or right and wrong from how you serve community?

Yeah, I mean, virtues and values.

So anything that comes in that is uh publicly funded, we don't provide religious services.

So when we every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, we feed the community, Thursday night we do a community feed.

We we work with Denver Public Schools, we're in six or seven schools doing mentoring, sports program, um, and none of that has a religious base to it.

So it's just a community-based focus outside of specific hours connected to city dollars or community partnerships, then we have religious activities that are optional, people want to attend, but it's separate from the community engagement piece.

Okay, and then for all the other services, I know it sounds like the Globeville First is going to be providing things like boxing and things like that.

Are those gonna are you all gonna charge for those services or what services will you be charging for?

Um as of now, there's no services that'll be charged for.

As of now, yes.

As of now, okay.

And it's contract even specify that there's gonna be any kind of fee for service, it has to be approved by parks and recreation.

Okay, I appreciate that.

That's all I have for you.

Thank you so much.

Um I do have a question for parks, and I'll just ask the question, and you can let me know who's the best answer.

Has parks ever contracted with a religious nonprofit before if the city attorney wants to answer, you can feel free.

It doesn't have to be part.

I Jason Moore City Attorney's Office.

Um, from my memory, uh the city has contracted with uh Denver Archdiocese.

Um YMCA.

Uh your parks or through I don't know.

Um I don't I I don't think I see a difference with parks versus children's affairs or another agency contracting with Archdiocese or I think it's a public space where people are coming to this in particular building.

So I'm just curious about that piece, but I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Um that's all I have for now.

Thank you, Kevin.

Thank you.

Next up we have uh Prote Memorial Campbell.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Uh just for clarification.

Um I heard and maybe this is for you, Pastor B.

Um just that you were offering um a little bit more about the youth programming, so thank you, Councilwoman Albivaris.

You asked a few of my questions.

Um, but kind of along that similar line of without the contract, you have no authority, but what's the intention?

Like who are the partners that you are hoping to collaborate with, and who do you kind of have lined up?

I mean, priority is our conversation with Gloville First and still Birdseed Collective.

Um then we work very closely with Denver Public Schools, we work with Denver Housing Authority, um, we have uh relationships with um like the Colorado Rockies in Denver Broncos to utilize sports camps, clinics to create space and place for organizations to serve.

We work with a lot of schools, businesses, um Keller Williams, real estate groups, people look into provide volunteer opportunities.

Um thank you.

And then can you remind me again the age group that you are kind of targeting within the within the programming that you are hoping to provide?

Yeah, I mean the the list was children through senior adults.

Okay, um, so children uh like what age are you so no no early childhood programs, but like school age children or what is it?

Children to begin with, yeah.

So we're not doing child care, so it's not a drop-off or child care.

Okay.

And then what is the um when I think about uh the young people that were mentioned earlier, and and then maybe this isn't a question for you, maybe this is the Globeville first folks.

I don't know, I'll ask the question, then you guys can decide.

Um when you are um that first survey, I think that I forgot in 2017 or when they had been doing the community outreach.

Were those services then not provided?

Um, or maybe this is Parks and Rec, I'm not quite sure who needs to answer this one.

Um, but in that first, maybe it's you, John.

My apologies.

Um for that original outreach for a program provider.

Does that mean that those services weren't provided to young people?

Because it seems like the juxtaposition is like we're there's gonna be more youth services, more young people engaged and having sports access.

Is that I'm just trying to make sure that I wrap my head around what it is very interesting, councilwoman.

So, yes, so with Birdseed, we had we had a uh a list of uh offerings, you know, from youth sports, arts and culture, social enrichment, um, what Birdseed specialized was in arts and uh food distribution.

Um, and so there was no sports teams um coming out of Gloville.

And so one of the things that we had actually offered was if they had a team they can participate in Denver uh uh parks and recreation programs, so they don't have to have their own league.

Um, and that's the same um for the Dream Center and Glowville first.

If they have one team, they could actually participate in our DPR leagues.

Okay, thank you.

That's really helpful clarification.

Um, and then you said I guess um Pastor B that Birdseed is going to still provide programs, and do you know which programs they're gonna be pulling in or we're still working on it?

And again, we don't have a contract, so it's not clear, but they are on the other side of the freeway now.

So we've been talking about uh the the need to embrace both sides of the freeway that tends to be a little bit of a gap.

Um their food services um and food distribution.

Um we we have access to get volunteers to bring food, so we want to just expand that with them and make it more consistent.

Um and then their art programs, they're obviously that's their specialty.

Um thank you.

And I don't think I have any other questions.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Thank you, Liz.

Thank you so much.

Um, so I actually have a few questions because I've had the opportunity to listen to my uh colleagues.

So can you all talk to me about the uh what community engagement you all have done um to say what's in the building?

Or what will you do?

Sorry, we're having a little trouble hearing you back there.

Could you repeat the question a little bit?

Yeah, sure.

Um what I think you're asking yesterday.

Okay, thank you.

Thanks, John.

What community engagement um you all have done, or what will you do in terms of community engagement to decide what the programming is for the future in the building?

So great question, Councilwoman.

Uh so part of the um RFP, I talked about community engagement and and proposals, and actually Denver Dream Center has uh in their proposal uh community outreach plan.

Uh and so what I'm committed to doing is two phases.

And if this is passed and and uh dream center is in there, we're gonna do a robust community process of like what does it look like from the first 30, 60, 90, year and a half in, and then what I made a commitment to the committee was the year and a half into this, we're gonna do another community engagement to when we put the RFP out.

So it'll be two phases, but ongoing community engagement.

Um, and one of the things that is gonna be required is they're gonna have to have an annual community engagement plan, um, and that's what we do in all of our rec rec centers today.

Perfect.

Um, and then actually I'll wait to come to you with the Dream Center.

Um, so can you all tell me what and how you all are um planning to how you all are planning to engage with the community when the contract expires?

I know we spoke about like what the advisory committee is, like can you share more information about that that process?

Yeah, so we're gonna start that a year and a half out before the RFP expires, um, and we will have community stakeholders.

Uh they will not be voting members when it comes to scoring the RFPs, but they will definitely have a voice.

What's that?

From GE.

Absolutely from the community.

Uh and that would be one of the requirements.

They have to live in the community, they have to have an organization in the community.

Um, but again, we want to make sure that um we have a voice in community where they're at, and so it's not just having one meeting at the REC Center, it's actually going to events and with the connections with Glowville first.

Um, they know a lot of the elders in the community that folks that don't come out, and so that's another opportunity for us to leverage community engagement.

Okay.

Um one of my council colleagues, I don't know a member who asked asked about um if this contracts were voted down, how much longer would it take for you all to go through the RFP process?

And you said six months, and it made me wonder if you all had asked the GES community if they would be comfortable with community building empty for six months versus moving this contract forward that they didn't have any parts of in terms of engagement.

So, yeah, six months would probably be the soonest that we would be able to do it.

I mean, we have um live in it capacity with our contracting team doing an authentic community engagement.

Um, and what we've heard from Global First, right?

They've already been um no no services provided for the last four months.

We're looking almost a year without any services in that community.

Um, but again, I think Glowville first that they definitely are boots on the ground, and they've heard loud and care from community that they want this facility open.

So you all have asked them so the answer is yes, is what I'm hearing.

Correct.

Okay, thank you.

Um can you tell me why this recreation center has programming um through a nonprofit versus city paid for programming?

So uh at one point we had three transition centers.

So it was College View, Johnson, and Gloville.

Um, and I want to say in 2016, 2015, I can get the exact date.

Um I actually approached the the administration uh and the mayor at the time and said, Hey, can we get some resources to bring some of these uh um centers back online?

Because we had nonprofits that were struggling to keep those facilities open.

Um, and at the time, Gloville uh was one that we couldn't fund, but knew that we we can get community support, and so that's why Global is the only one that we have today.

Okay, thank you.

Those are the only questions I have for you.

Um, I do have a a few questions um for uh the provider if you might um come to the podium might appreciate it.

Um can you talk more specifically about what your commitments are in terms of how you all plan to engage the community?

Yeah, I mean, for us it's it's a little bit long-term vision.

We we honestly don't come in as we have the answers for the for the community based on what the needs are.

We just know that there are needs, and oftentimes education, food insecurity, the sports and rec programs, um, keeping kids away from violence, those are things we've been doing throughout the city.

So the opportunity for us was to find a place to continue to do that in a consistent manner.

We don't we don't own property.

We we rent the building that we're in, so this was another spot to focus on the youth programs.

So the goal for us was to be able to do events at Argo Park, bring the community together, again, Gloville first, and and Birdseed have been incredible, and they know more than we do, but we've got people on our team that are from Globeville that have family that live in Gloville as well.

You mentioned or it was mentioned that two of the murals were painted over, and it was because it wasn't mission to line, and so I had two questions.

One, what's the what's the mission?

That wasn't that was a parking question.

Oh, my bad.

Then don't come up yet because I have a few more questions for you, just so you can stay.

Um speaking of the youth violence prevention that you just spoke about.

Do you are you all do you all have partnerships with the Office of Social Equity and Innovation or the um Office of Neighborhood Safety regarding the youth piece?

Um yeah, I I meet and communicate frequently with Dr.

Sanders.

Yeah, in terms of what exactly?

Just trying to stay where what they're working on and anything that we do initiatives that can support the work that they do.

So you'll be intentionally planning with the Office of Social Equity and Innovation.

Correct.

What about the Office of Neighborhood Safety?

ONS, yes.

Thank you.

Okay, those are the only questions I have for you.

Thank you.

All right, mission statement.

Thank you.

So one of the murals was uh around defund the police and handcuffs and didn't align with the recreation uh mission, and the other one was uh a religious um mural that had the Virgin Mary and some quotes on it.

So those things were not allowed in our in our facilities.

Um I don't know what the murals are in the the rest of the building, but do you plan to keep those or take those away?

At this point we plan on keeping them.

We actually left it up to bird seed um if they wanted to have those removed uh and then they didn't want them removed, so we're gonna keep those murals up.

Cool.

Thank you so much.

Appreciate it.

Those are my only questions.

Councilman Torres.

Thank you so much, and I appreciate my colleagues' questions.

Some things have come to light um that I wasn't aware of before.

Um quick question on the RFP process and how uh how it was requested or how it was conveyed.

Um the Dream Center is paying the city to lease the building.

How was that arrived at in the RFP process?

Were you requesting that 30,000 a year or was it open?

Yeah, so the exact amount is not written in the RFP process, but the compensation that was provided was something.

So each um applicant was able to put what amount that they would be able to pay for for the rent.

Got it.

Okay.

And you were you asked that question, how much you could they had to provide uh a form that said how much how much they would were able to pay for the three years that they would be occupying the recreation center.

Got it.

Okay, thank you so much.

Um Pastor B, how did you arrive at 30,000 a year?

Um Yeah, just honestly looking at at our budget, knowing that all the services we're providing are free that we're paying for the staff to operate the facility is free, and I have to raise the money separately through individuals to pay for the staff and the programming.

And so uh for us that was just a number that we felt we could start with.

Is there anything that's provided in the building that helps mitigate that cost for you?

Is it like anything revenue based?

Uh no.

No.

Okay.

Um were you paying are you paying more for wherever you're currently at?

Uh extensively.

Oh, okay.

All right, thank you for that.

Um I think thank you.

Yeah.

Um I can see I can do questions or comments now, or are we just in questions?

Yeah.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um I can see the difficulty.

Uh the difficult position that parks is in and wanting to activate the space and wanting to activate in a particular way.

Um I have to close the public hearing.

I miss heard you.

Please had your comments on that section of the case.

Thank you, Council.

Um Councilman Gilmar.

First time listener.

Thank you, Council President.

Um question for um Jason.

Um, since you're the legal counsel um who never parks and rack.

Um would it have been possible um or is there an allowance for um the director of parks to um extend um the contract for bird seat collective, say for a 12-month term for there to be um extensive community outreach?

Is that um that's possible?

That would have been a business decision.

Okay, not a legal decision.

Okay, so not a legal decision, it would have been a business decision.

Okay, thank you, Jason.

I appreciate that.

Of course.

Um, this is a question to you because you're the director of Denver Parks and RAC.

Um, why did you not extend the contract of bird seed for 12 months so there could actually be community outreach and engagement?

Yeah, again, standard practice when we are reletting an RFP that is based on the same um scope of work, is not to do another community outreach.

So we do the community outreach to redefine that scope of work to go to community and say, hey, this is what you told us that you wanted, as long as we're still delivering that on any of our stuff, we don't then do a community outreach.

It's when we're pivoting to say, hey, that RFP is gonna change and it's gonna look different that we do.

And so hindsight is always 2020.

Um, as John has said, you looking back, that decision, but that is not standard practice to engage at that point.

By the time um uh again that decision was made to look at that, it was after we already had bidders and realized there was gonna be a change in operator, um, uh, which was was not at the time.

Okay.

Um somebody mentioned, and this is for you, Director Clark.

Um, are you aware of the sports um programs that Birdseed Collective did have um going on at the center um in the community?

Um, because it's been mentioned a couple of times that there were no sports going on, and I do not believe that's correct.

Were you aware of the sports um that Birdseed Collective was doing?

I I'm not aware of the full gamut of of the sports that they had to offer, but I do know the a couple groups who have were doing athletics in there have reached out, so I was aware that they were doing some of that.

Okay, so you were aware.

All right, thank you, thank you, Council President.

Councilman Gil Councilman Parady.

Yes, thank you.

How's my audio?

You're good.

Fantastic.

Great.

I had one other question for the Dream Center arising from the mention of OSEI and ONS.

Um and I'm just pausing because I don't know who's at the mic because I'm not in the room.

But basically, I'm curious.

Um, in the context of those conversations with Dr.

Sanders, if you discussed plans for a program that was called Gain.

I think it was gang something intervention.

I'm not sure what you're referring to.

Okay.

Um, well, I can I can explain kind of the model of the program because I yeah, it just makes me curious.

Um, for a time OSCI was talking about starting to implement a program that would involve um sending letters out to any youth, and I guess adults as well, but that whose name came up in connection with any gang involved crimes, um and basically asking them to sort of uh work with police and threatening them with prosecution, and uh so it it was a um startling kind of program to hear about.

I'm just curious if that rings any bells for you from your conversations with Dr.

Sanders or if that's something the Dream Center was consulted about or would be involved in if it went forward.

That that I've never heard of, so I'm not familiar with that one.

That was it.

Thanks, Madam President.

Councilman Lewis.

Yeah, I just have one quick follow-up.

Director Clark, the question that you just answered is actually different than the answer that I received in my briefing with um Mr.

Martinez.

And so if you all if you both can come here, I just want to clarify.

Because on Friday I asked about the um opportunity to extend the contract, and it was my understanding that you all could only extend the contract for two months because that was you all's protocol, but it sounds like that's different than your understanding, Director Clark.

I could adjust that I just actually conferred with uh Jason on that.

Um my understanding, and and I think I still need some more clarification was that we did extend it for a holdover clause, and all of our contracts have a holdover clause, and I was not aware that I could extend it for another 12 months, but that's something I still need to explore with with uh Mr.

Moore on that piece because my understanding with the contract was we could only do a holdover clause for two months.

So, Mr.

Moore, what's the what's the what's the actual answer?

It depends.

Is it possible?

It is possible.

You asked the lawyer, that's what you did.

Exactly right.

It depends.

Um I don't I've I've kind of I've lost the plot.

I apologize.

But but yes, it's the business decision and what they want to do with the building.

If they need to continue services and they uh need to contract over that, they can with an amendment.

Another business decision, not the one they made or intended to make, they could shut it down and then put the RFP out and then do a new contract, but they didn't want it, they didn't want to do that.

Business decision by Mr.

Martinez.

Is that decision?

It's the it's the department.

It could be John or Joel and they figure out how they make that decision uh within the department.

Was bird seed collective aware that there was any opportunity that it could have been extended beyond the two months?

Did anyone make them aware of that?

I don't know.

Do you mean through the holdover?

Uh well, so the holdover, my understanding, and you can correct me if I'm wrong.

It was my understanding from the briefing that the what was put on the table for the holdover was two months.

And but it sounds like it could have been two months, four months, twelve months.

I don't know what the holdover clause actually said.

I don't know if it's helpful to what you're asking, and not to cut that off.

We'll look and see if we have it.

But again, the holdover um uh period was designed to allow bird seed once we let them know that we had a different bidder who had won enough time they they didn't they didn't they said, hey, can we have some more time to move out?

And so the discussion was about making sure that they had enough time to move out, not a discussion about extending services um beyond.

So that was where we got into can we legally allow them to stay and pass the termination of their agreement because they are asking for more time to move out and find where they were going to.

So that was the decision that was made with the holdover period.

Much clearer, thank you so much, because it was my understanding that the two months was to allow them to be able to give more programming versus two months to give them time to termination in their agreement, and we and they said, hey, that we we would like more time to figure out where we're going to get our stuff moved out, and we did that holdover.

They were able to continue providing services during that period of time that they're in there, and it just it extended that, but the design of that was to give them the time to uh find their new landing spot.

Okay, so there was never any discussion, at least amongst folks about um extending the contract longer than the extending the contract longer than the expiration date, but you only extended it longer than the expiration date because of the two months that they requested in order to be able to move out.

Correct.

Thank you.

That's it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember.

Just a quick question to follow up on that.

Uh the lease with bird seed, the contract with bird seed is terminated already, correct?

Correct.

And they're not in the building.

Correct.

Okay.

Do you know if they're operating anywhere?

Yes.

They are.

Okay.

So if a contra uh Jason, if the contract was terminated and no longer in effect, a holdover provision wouldn't really apply, would it?

Or could it?

It could.

That's exactly what a holdover would be for.

If the termination date's already been passed.

Correct.

But a holdover will add terms to that and say if you stay past the termination date, then you stay month to month.

Generally.

That's the concept of a holdover.

So recall exactly what this holdover said, but it's a it's a I guess a typical uh lease term or real estate term in a in a lease.

Okay.

Sounds kind of unusual.

Sorry.

I don't think it was like.

Were you asked about the holdover now that they're already moved out and it's already sorry?

But my understanding where you were asking about could we extend that holdover now?

Right.

No.

The holdover is contiguous with their operation.

But once they moved out, we did all the move out, we did all the closeout.

John Steam went in and fixed the court.

So the holdover was a continuation if they were still in there that was negotiable, but not any couldn't be used to allow them back to you.

My questions are for Globeville first.

So whoever wants to come up, or the two of you?

Thanks.

So when um my question's gonna start with a little bit of a comment.

I was a council aide in 2012 to Councilwoman Montero when we were having issues down in Globeville, and we actually helped find bird seed to go into this rec center, and then they did the peer curement to have bird seed go in there.

Basically, my question to you all is um in my years of experience of working in Globille, same as you.

I have grandmas down there.

I did Ballet Flocorico down at the church right by the park.

What's your outreach to your community?

Because it 13 of us have to sit up here and make a decision for your community.

You live in North Gwen.

I didn't catch where you live.

You live in Globeville still.

So what is your touch point to the community?

Because we're at being asked 12 of us up here to make a determination on your future here.

We walk on doors.

You know, when we have an event, uh when we we're also helping with some of the surveys going on out there, um, we knock on doors whenever we're trying to inform of anything we have in in the up and coming or in the works um to let the people know directly.

Um we fly here sometimes, but for the majority of everything we do, we'll we'll knock on doors.

And I think what sets us apart is we're not here to look good in front of uh other organizations, and I feel like that's happening all too well.

There's a lot of organizations that claim to do services, use our names, and they're they don't know the people, they don't know the real history.

They can get the history by reading stuff off the internet, but they don't know our community.

To know the people is to know our neighborhood.

And like I said, you know, we have people to where they watched us grow up as kids.

We make it, we're we're a big family.

We're very personable with the people that we interact with, and we feel that our community is getting overlooked by popularity, and our elders in the neighborhood that have been here built lives for us.

The generations that are here today, and they don't get a say in anything, and that crushes my heart right now because that's who we want involved in community, that's who needs to be.

When we talk about culture, our elders hold our culture of whatever's left in our neighborhoods.

That's where you get culture from.

You don't get culture from other people coming in and telling you how to do this and how to do that.

No, our culture is in Gloville in our elders.

So if anybody wants to know about culture, they need to speak to our elders, and that's who is always getting overlooked.

They don't get to say what happens in the neighborhood.

Organizations are getting to say what happens in our neighborhoods.

That's what sets us apart from all these other organizations that are operating in our neighborhoods today.

So I think that's my concern about this contract, is I know how hard it is to work in global area in Swansea.

I know the factions that have been in Global and Swansea for a while.

The first time we met Anthony was when we worked on those murals on Lincoln on to connect but one side to the other.

So how would you work with the Denver Dream Center if we were to approve this?

My first question.

What happened to you all and what happens to that activation of that essential part of Globeville that literally is cut off between the Platte River and I-70.

It's really isolated and I-25.

Well, just to let everybody know and be completely up front, we've been trying to get space in the Global Rec Center way before the RFP came up.

It's very unfortunate that we weren't able to do that.

The Rec Center wasn't a fully operational, they didn't open till 3:30.

We were trying to provide services between the hours of 10 a.m.

up until 2 p.m.

And we were getting a lot of pushback.

There was a lot of obstacles.

And where we were just, you know, trying to provide free services.

And it was like a monetary, you know, kind of approach on us getting space in there.

So we've been trying to get space in there, and we're still trying to get space in there.

We put in for the RFP.

So how we get space in there right now, honestly, I feel like if we were in there, we would do a lot of great things.

And at this point, it's just a matter of how we get in there.

To add to that, I think you know, just keeping everyone honest.

You know, if you're saying you're coming to provide resources, uh programming, you know, us being in that facility, we'll actually be able to see what services, what programming are being provided to be able to vouch for that because of us right now.

There's a lot of things going on, which nobody knows one way or the other, you know, what's going on in there.

If this was not to go through, I mean, as far as us, we continue.

You know, this hasn't deterred us from our goals so far.

So we'll continue to do it, you know.

Um we love our neighborhood.

Are you is Global First a nonprofit, or is it a neighborhood association?

Because sometimes in the North side, my neighborhood associations have to turn into a nonprofit so that they can actually go out and bid and they can do work.

So just it I'm not quite familiar with Globale First.

You weren't there when I left in 2015.

So just tell me a little bit about your organization so I can understand what you all represent in there, meaning your fiscal structure.

Does that make sense?

Yeah.

So we did become a 501c3 nonprofit.

Um, so Globale First is a nonprofit organization.

Um, the as far as the RO goes, I mean, you know, it's it's a struggle to find space.

You know, we're meeting kind of one-on-one with people in their, you know, in their homes right now.

We have meetings in the park, you know, that's where our office is most of the time, you know, and it it's a struggle because we don't have space.

So we've been trying and trying, you know, to look for space, collaborations, partnerships, something that will help us to be able to have that space for community to come in and us gather because it's a lot of the times, you know, all of these other meetings, it's like people they don't know, so they don't feel welcome, they don't feel a part of the neighborhood.

They're just like, oh, these people are meeting on our behalf, you know, and it's not true community.

Okay, thank you both.

For Pastor B for a question for you.

In your experience, how do you partner?

You hear uh Globeville First wanting to be in there.

You know that they were a competitor.

Birdseed already found a home in the old clinica tapayac.

I've heard they're settled, I've heard they're happy, I heard they like it.

How would you partner with Globeville First?

What does that look like?

And I understand you don't have the contract now, but we all dream.

So what's your dream?

Because this is a really important center for me.

It's a really important center.

It's it's literally where I started my work in the city in June and 4th of 2012, was literally at that rec center.

One of my first first meetings as a council aid, and uh, it has a lot of meaning to me.

So, what's your dream of how you would work with Globeville First?

I mean, the dream is to keep the center open as many hours as possible to serve the community.

Far bigger than any one organization.

So in our conversation with Birds Birdseed, but specifically with Global First, I think the presentation was over 40 hours, 40 to 45 hours that they have programming and services that they want to provide in the center.

So for us, the dream is that it is a community recreation center.

It's not going to have Denver Dream Center's name on it because we don't own it.

We're a service provider.

So Global First will have offices, they'll have space, they'll run classes, we'll strategize on programs.

I mean, the goal is to think through what the needs are.

Again, they know better than us.

But we can bring resources that support the programs, the sports that can happen.

So the dream is to make it a collective of multiple organizations.

Like we are again still in conversation with Birdseed.

They've got a great space, but there's a lot of limitations, and they've lost touch again.

They want to make sure they don't lose touch to that side of the freeway.

And so the food distribution, they're they're mobilizing that now, their new new space, but they want to make sure that they get it back from the rec center space.

Okay.

And then one of my other questions is for whoever from parts and recreation.

So I hear that you all decided not to have community outreach, which hindsight 2020, right?

We make mistakes.

What's your commitment on moving forward?

One question one.

If this fails, are you going to open it up for a community process?

Question two, if it passes, are you going to open it up again when the RF because it's a three-year contract?

Are you would you open it up again and re-structure the RFP?

So first question.

Thank you, Madam President.

So if it doesn't pass, then we'll have to go back to Square One and start, you know, with the community engagement process, you know, get it out to RFP.

So we're looking at a six-month period, and that building will sit vacant, um, which we've heard, you know, from Global First, I just want access.

Um, if it is to pass um and uh Dream Center gets it, I'm gonna be at the table.

I'm actually gonna manage this partnership, which I normally don't manage.

I have my directors manage partnerships because I know how important it is.

And so bringing uh the Dream Center, bringing Global First, bringing in Birdseed, bringing other organizations and in the community together on day one of what it looks like for the first year and a half, and then um I made a commitment to Councilman Watson, um, you know, a year and a half into this, we're gonna start it over to um when we go back out to RFP uh in three years um to make sure that we heard loud and clear from the community of what they want to see in the future.

Okay, so then one other question I have.

I don't understand how a 2017 RFP went out in 2025.

Like when I think about when I started at the city in 2012, I was working with councilwoman Montero, then I worked for Councilmember Espinosa.

The time has changed.

When I worked for Espinosa, I couldn't work virtually.

I didn't have a laptop, I had a desktop.

I mean, I can't even start talking to you about the differences that I've experienced working in the city since 14 years.

Why would a 2017 RFP go out today in modern time when it's after COVID, things are virtual, everything's changed?

I just don't understand how that decision was made not to even update the RFP.

Like some of the wording in here, it doesn't even exist.

I mean, like honestly, I'm when looking at this the request for proposal, it literally some of it doesn't even exist.

And so I'll just say when I update an ordinance, I look at all the antiquated language and I update it so that it's current.

How could why why was that decision made to put out an antiquated 2017 ordinance when I think two city council classes have already been elected since 2017?

2017, my predecessor was on, and I've been elected twice since then.

So how is that why was that done?

Yeah, again, councilwoman, and uh Madam President, I I made that decision right in a hindsight 2020.

Um, but a lot of the stuff that's in the RFP is what we want to see in a traditional rec center.

I think that was one of the whole when we made uh decision as an uh agency to transition these centers.

Um, we wanted to make sure that there was still some level of of recreation center component to that.

Doesn't mean that everything that on that list has to be included in a in a uh proposal.

Um, and so again, I think that was what the decision I made.

Uh yeah, things have changed.

I've been in this department since 1993, and I've seen um it evolve, and you know, but there's some things that stay uh consistent, and that's around um youth programming, which is always a priority to priority, a priority for the for the agency, and then also around our active older adults.

And so looking at those opportunities um was still in that RFP.

Uh, and when the proposals uh, if this is passed, come out, it'll clearly show um that this community is gonna get a greater level of service than it's had um since 2017.

Thank you.

Okay, seeing no other speakers in the queue.

Let me go back to my script.

Um the public hearing is closed.

Comments by members of council on resolution 0471.

Do you want me to council member Watson?

Do you want me to start with you or you want to go last?

Go less.

Okay.

Councilwoman Gilmar.

Uh thank you, Council President.

Um I have a point of clarification.

I don't know where our city attorney maybe they're online.

Or um Jason's not our city attorney.

Um he's for parks.

Um, but anyway, um, can um am I able to make a motion um to make this a one-year contract for the Dream Center so that there can actually be authentic outreach done with the community after 12 months versus the community having to wait three years before there can be the authentic community outreach.

Madam Secretary, is John Griffin online?

Yeah, I believe he just stepped out a very important time.

Tell me how to use the facilities, so we just have to wait for John Griffin to come back.

Okay, I can go ahead and get in the queue.

Councilman Liz.

Um, yes.

So wait, hold on.

Hi, John.

John, we have to phone a friend.

Um, so councilwoman Gilmar had a question for you.

Yes, um, thank you.

Um, John, um, I wanted to make a motion um to amend uh the Dream Center contract instead of a three-year contract at $30,000 each year to amend it to a one-year 12-month contract for $30,000.

Uh legislative council uh council doesn't have the ability to amend contracts.

Okay, all right.

Very good.

I wanted to ask the question uh to get it on the record, and so I'll go ahead with my comments then.

Um I have gotten to know um Anthony Garcia um in a very very good way through this process.

Um, and um quite frankly, feeling retaliated against and um intimidated um by members of the city in how this all played out.

Um it was um said on record tonight that it was a business decision that parks leadership undertook to not extend bird seeds um contract by 12 months to have an outreach process.

Um they just decided internally to terminate their contract with the city, and that's troublesome.

Um there are a lot of reports floating around that um the mayor's administration and partners that are working with Denver Parks and RAC.

We have to remember that Director Clark is an appointee of Mayor Johnston, and so um we just got a flyer that um on Thursday, April 30th, um, with special guest Al Gardner, the executive director of the um Department of Safety is going to be part of a community engagement experience that Dream Center, the Denver Dream Center is hosting, and it's only for church leaders and pastors.

Uh I need to go online and get uh ordainment for me to prove my credentials that I can go to this Denver Dream Center hosting a community engagement experience for church leaders and pastors.

Is this what we're utilizing rec centers for now in our city are a way to police within our neighborhoods?

It was stated tonight that the Dream Center one were not keeping accurate records, had used the excuse that they were a faith-based organization, thereby they didn't need to keep records, which is ridiculous.

If you're getting taxpayer funds, no church, no faith-based organization, gets a pass on reporting metrics, government funding.

The way in which this was done was parks and rack didn't get the bidders that they wanted at that first pre-bid meeting.

Parks leadership decided, well, we're going to notice a second meeting, we're gonna let Birdseed Collective know, but we're also going to get Dream Center there.

There is no way through core requests that a council member or anybody else for that fact is going to get that email that says, hey, Dream Center, we want you to apply for this because the all in mile high program is not providing recovery services for their clientele.

We hear it at public comment every night, and if this council allows Denver Parks and REC to just feign um, oh gee, whiz golly.

Sorry, we didn't do community outreach.

Somebody who has worked for Denver Parks and REC since 1993.

That is over 30 years.

But that is the excuse given.

And I am hearing from Globeville First and Birdseat Collective that they were never told, especially Birdseed Collective, was never told of some of these additional options that might be available to them, that they were able to ask for more time.

But certain folks aren't here because they already feel like they've been retaliated by within the city, and so they're worried.

And what Parks does in Globeville, I am very concerned that this sets precedent, and that Parks and REC is going to try to do this in Montbello, in Green Valley Ranch, in other parts of the city.

And this is not the way that contract procurement should go down in the city ever.

And I will be a no on this tonight because it could have been a one-year extension.

There could have been a requirement within that one year extension that you open up the building from 9 until 3 and you work with the surrounding ROs to build up partnerships, that would have been the leadership role that Parks could have played.

Instead, they played divider in the community and silence the community.

The relationship between Denver Parks and REC, the Dream Center, and the Department of Safety, quite honestly, because if kids come into Gloville Rec Center wanting help for recovery services, wanting help for whatever issues they're under, or it might be an issue at home that they're trying to deal with.

Who is the Dream Center going to call?

Police.

So when this came to committee, Mr.

Martinez admitted that DPR had messed up this process, and then again during this conversation, which I told you during committee I have a deep appreciation for, and that you understood that this actually should have gone to community.

Is because you wanted to be sure that there was no gap and gap in service, and the very thing that you all tried to avoid, you create it.

The conditions for it by not involving community in this process.

And so the community has gone for a month without programming in this building, and that's incredibly disappointing to hear.

Um and that there was no consideration of the Climate Promotoras program in GES, which is one of the most polluted area codes in the country.

Was not only on the list of the climate promotoras, but a trusted community member.

And so that trust, when that is established, should never be taken for granted.

Furthermore, the community shared that they were not asked about what programming the community desired, and we want to, and I just want to make sure that we're being careful about make not taking uh paternal approach in our decision making when it comes to communities like GES as well.

Let's see here.

You also shared during this conversation that the holdover clause actually could have been extended to allow for bird seed to continue, and then you all could have had the opportunity to have a robust community engagement process and a tone for the harm that was created in GES.

And I think this could have been a really good opportunity for DPR to reset because you all had already determined that the process didn't go as you all desired, desired it to, that this would have been a good opportunity for you all to reset and work with the GES community to arrive at maybe even the same answer.

Like you all may have gotten to the same conclusion with this set of partners, but you would have arrived at that answer with community versus in conflict with community, and I think that's really important for me to know.

And so with that, I will be a no again.

I was a no in committee.

I did tell you all something else came up that I could be moved to a yes, but just based on what I've heard in this conversation, I'm still a no.

Thank you.

Councilman Turst.

Thank you so much.

Um I I can see the um pressure that parks was under to get the space activated.

Um and there's probably a lot of continuity in terms of what a neighborhood might always need, particularly if they don't have a lot of resource centers or community centers.

Um we face the same thing in West Denver.

Um of the things that I think was different, um, and Councilman Watson, I'll send our report to you so you can take a look at it.

Um, you know, our I took it upon myself to go through a visioning process with my community for the Westwood Community Center.

Um it was in a similar state, right?

A long-term nonprofit was in the space.

A lot of community groups felt like they had no access to it.

Um so we set out to interview everyone who operates in the Westwood neighborhood to find out what their vision of that space could be.

I do feel like this was a necessary kind of process for this space.

Um, and it became the backing that helped propel every next step that we took, even the current steps that we're undertaking right now to establish new um a new F RFP just um went out.

Um we're identifying that person who's gonna or that an organization that's gonna be there, but they're still delivering on that community vision, and I I do feel like that's the missing kind of element here that would make me feel a lot better about any city venue, any city-owned building and its utilization by other nonprofits.

And I don't I don't claim to um you know which ones are the better ones or which ones are not.

That's not um, I think what um I'm coming away from this conversation with because I know the Dream Center to be outstanding.

Um they showed up in West Colfax and Lama Lincoln Park, um uh and I didn't have to ask them.

They said, what do you need?

How can we help?

We'll come by, we'll activate your park, um, we'll bring food, we'll help coordinate um events, activation is what's helping save Paco Sanchez Park.

Um, and the Dream Center was a huge part of that, and they didn't just start that a couple years ago, they'd already been in West Colfax, those neighbors knew them.

So it was a real godsend to see somebody come in and already have those established relationships with residents.

So uh my decision today is absolutely not a knock on the Dream Center.

You do great work, you my community recognizes you, um, and uh I we partner with faith-based communities all the time, face-by-third organizations.

That's who resettle refugees, that's who provide housing for our homeless.

Like, that's not what this is about for me.

And I I feel like that's something that we've leaned on really heavily in programming the Westwood Community Center.

It's rocky, like it is not easygoing trying to establish shared spaces.

Um, but I I do think there are folks out there who really do want to put in the effort.

You're among them, Globeville First, you're among them, bird seeds among them.

Um so my vote will be a no tonight because I do think it does feel cleaner to start with that and really let that guide the rest of the decision making process.

So I hope you understand that, and um uh and parks as well.

I hope you understand where I'm coming from on that one too.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President, and um Council Mentores, you going before me, I always tell you the council Yoda because I think a lot of what you said is is very much similar where I'm landing on this as well.

I know I reached out um early on when I had received um a phone call from one of the elders in actually in Globeville, and she reaches out to my office all the time and says, Hey, did you know this is happening?

Um they were not incredibly pleased that they were told that there would be a community process whenever the RFP came back up, and um that's what they were told, and and and um the community was happening again.

I appreciate the fact that you know that accountability has been taken.

Um, but given not only that um particular situation, um, but also you know, hearing some of the issues around 2017 RFP language not being you know, maybe not updated to date.

We're almost 10 years later.

Um, I find that equally concerning, and we're talking about process, we're talking about a three-year contract.

Um you know, I appreciate the work that you know, Globeville First, you know, the things that you also talked about and your willingness to collaborate and to work with whoever is occupying occupying that space.

Uh, I think it is important that this space is activated, but I also agree that community trust is also important, and and that comes with us as the city, making sure that we are holding up to that, right?

We're holding up to that, and we said we will involve community in this process, and we need to we need to do that.

And so I just think that that is um that is what needs to happen, and so I will not be supporting this tonight because I think that that is um that is the process that was um that was that was uh communicated and that it's what needs to continue or go forward.

Thank you, Madam President.

Quick to Memorial Campbell.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I just want to first thank everybody for answering the questions and being so um honest and transparent with you know um with your answers.

Um I think this is this is a hard one because I feel like we are in a position of we can be right all day, but are we gonna get what we want?

And I really put some weight in what I was hearing from those from the folks from Globeville First, and the thought of having a building continue to be closed for an additional six months, that leaves us almost an entire year of a building that'll be closed.

And um when I think about a community with, and I live in a community that doesn't have a lot of public spaces and places where kids can go or places for community to come together, that is such a valuable asset that we are coming up on a summer, and we need places for kids to be, and we need safe places for kids to be.

Grounded with folks who are going door to door, a space for elders, a space for young people, and that is also what builds community trust.

I'm worried that uh, and I will be a yes on this tonight.

I worry that pushing a process to want it to be the perfect process, or you know, the what could have should have in all of this, it wasn't great.

You know, I'm sure you're probably sitting there thinking I would do it differently, have it play out in a different way, but I feel like we also have responsibility back to community to have services continue, to have those relationships built, to have an opportunity for um for a place not to sit vacant for a year in a community that we all collectively know has been and needs additional services.

Um again, I I struggle because I want the I want the perfect, but I'm not gonna let the perfect be the enemy of the good in my decision tonight, and so that's where I'm gonna make my decision to be a yes on this.

Um but my expectation would be is that you know, shall that if this should pass, then there is that intensive, it's not waiting a year and a half to find out where community's at.

It's day one, and you start building what is it that we need, what is the programming that goes in there that's most responsive, and how do you build and rebuild that trust within community?

Because I think there is it sounds like there is trust, but there needs to be more trust.

You know, we've heard from a lot of different people as far as who who is community.

Um, but for that I'm I will be supporting this tonight because I think that we owe it to community to have something that's open and to have something that starts programming right away.

It sounds like people are ready to hit the ground ready.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, thank you all so much.

It was uh it was this was a really interesting conversation, and I think councilwoman council pro tem Romero Campbell has really um hit the nail on the head for me.

Um as I look at the summer that is coming.

I've got high school kids, and I know what they're doing, and I would really like for them to have a space to go to.

I would really like for their friends to have a space to go to when they have an entire summer stretching out in front of them.

I uh John, I appreciate you acknowledging this process was not it.

Um you know that I also think that people make mistakes, you have acknowledged it, you've taken responsibility for it.

Um I wish that the process had been different.

I wish that the process had been inclusive.

Um I agree with Council Pro Temer Mirror Campbell.

I I don't want us to go through a summer where we have a space where there are a lot of kids who need the support and the place to go and the safe community outlet because if they don't have that, there are a lot of other things that they could be doing, and they're not things that we want them to be doing.

And so um, you know, I I too wish this process process had been different, but I think at the end of the day, um council pro temper Mirror Campbell said it best we cannot let perfect be the enemy of good on this one because our kids are depending on us.

Our kids are depending on us, and we have to keep that in the forefront of our mind as we look at this contract, and I hope and expect that um Parks and Rec will do something different uh moving forward, and I think that you know, all of the community partners who spoke tonight are right, every single person who's every single group that said um you know, your shared your feelings tonight and shared your concerns tonight.

Every single one of you are right, right?

But there is a way to be right and still come together and provide these services for the kids who need them as this summer is coming.

So I'll be a yes tonight as well.

Um, and and really appreciate everything that everyone has said here because I think this is a tough one.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watson.

Uh thank you so much, Council President.

First and foremost, uh, I want to thank uh even outside of the folks in this room, the folks in community that we have been in dialogue or for about five months, uh, I think since the the RFP went out, um, and having um community dialogue throughout.

Um I want to thank um uh the uh the folks in Global First.

I want to speak first to Milo and to Rebecca.

Um we've been um uh engaging in community process uh in GS for a short time now.

Um but I see your commitment and I see your focus.

And O'Milo, you betrayed us and moved up north, but you uh grew up in the community, and um all the work that we've done uh together and that you've done in community and the quiet work that you all have done.

I want to applaud you for that.

Um legislative process at times may skim over kind of the deepness of the impacts of groups that come before us.

Uh I wanted to pause for a second and say I see you and I see your work, I see your intention, I see your pain, um, I see a wariness at times.

Um, but I appreciate you stepping forward for this opportunity to support the elders where your focus is at and the youth um in this process.

And I'll share I hear I heard um and respect the uh comments from all of my colleagues.

Um I have known Pastor B for um now three years.

Um and as Councilmember Torres uh stated, I I um I think the power in communities the ability to bring folks from all spectrums together um to support those who need it most.

And my work with you has been without question.

Um you check in on me like uh I think uh at least once a month.

Hey, are you sleeping?

Are you eating?

Are you okay?

I think entrenched in the focus that you have, and I want to make sure I look at both of the folks here from Dream Center.

Uh I think you are your rooting is how can I be of support?

And so I want just like I did with the folks from Global First, I want to thank you and your team, the lives you saved um on the streets, um folks who have come up to me and say my life would have been lost if I did not um knock on that door.

And so I want to say thank you for the good work you do, and I should see you showing up in places throughout uh communities.

And I was like, why the heck are you here, Pastor B, and um you're there and your team, and so uh I want to thank you so much.

I know Anthony might be watching from Birdseat.

Um we had a good talk uh to my colleagues um um uh um had a good talk last week about kind of the opportunity to continue engaging, the opportunity for Bertse to um continue to grow through this process, and I'll leave it up to Anthony to share his thoughts with others.

But I want to tell you and call I appreciate you.

I knew during COVID um when we were dealing with things, and I think Council President, um, when there were a whole herd of uh grouping of um uh asylum seekers right on the edge of our districts.

Um and we had folks at Duradison um, and we needed to provide food um for folks.

Anthony and Carla raised their hands and said, hey, send them down to Birdseed.

This was something they weren't signed up for, they didn't have full capacity for.

So I just want to thank you all for the good work, and through this process, you have continued to lean in.

I have appreciated your willingness to say I can work with anyone.

That's what I love the most about Birdseed is that through all the tribes in GS, the one group, at all times.

I've always felt um um, they've always stated uh I'm here to serve.

Uh to my colleagues, I'm a yes on this, and I have stated from the beginning um with in the process.

The process was mid steps from not having that community engaged step.

And I've sat in community, I've sat in meetings um with folks on all sides of this issue.

Um four months with that center being closed, um, four months of no activity, four months of of really that heart not being there, and then a possibility of six more.

Um, I think is intolerable.

Um it must be done right.

Looking at my at John right now, it must be done right.

Um, but I'm a yes, and I'm asking my colleagues to provide the opportunity for this space to be activated, provide the opportunity for us to hold accountable the folks who are in there, provide the opportunity for fourth generation leaders um seeking an opportunity to lift up community and support them, provide them that opportunity to demonstrate what they can do.

And with that, Council President Hutt, those are my comments.

Thank you.

Council Coach, I'm sorry to hop in real quick.

Um thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I did, and and I apologize, I was going through.

Um but I also do want to acknowledge um uh you, Councilmember Gilmore.

I think bringing this for a hearing and having the conversation and really going through some of the process um and the decision making uh that you know this center and what we will be looking for in the future, I think is a good flag.

And for you know, parks and rec.

I think that this is really um I think this conversation then should very much inform a perspective of what we'd like to see in the future of just being able to um have that you know community process and thinking about um what that impact is and how those contracts come through.

So I just wanted to say council member Gilmore, thank you for bringing this for a public hearing because I think um a very interesting, as you would say, um, discussion um this evening, but also I think perspective of what we were looking for in the future.

So thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Um so just want to say thank you to all the partners.

As I've been sitting up here thinking, I'm thinking back to uh a time in my life when I was first elected, and I went back to an article in the Westboard to 2022.

We had Quintana boxing on the corner of 17th and Sheridan.

It'd been there for a really long time, and I got emails from Mr.

Quintana, they were very threatening.

He came up, came to my office because we were not moving forward with his contract, and he had been there historically forever in the same article.

He said he was going to protest in front of the Gilmores houses because it was Scott Gilmore and I who were up against the Quintana family.

Um he was in Parks and Rec at that time.

I was the council prep per I was the council rep, and it was awful.

It was single-handedly literally one of the worst experiences.

And I'd gone, I knew people who had gone to Quintanic Boxing.

I grew up in the North Side.

It was an establishment in the North Side.

And I remember getting an um from Councilwoman Torres this report that she did when she had reimagined the I'm gonna mess it up.

Restwood community center.

And I read that report and I said, I wish we would have had something like that in North Denver.

I wish we would have had something like that in the North Side.

I wish we would have something like that for every single city facility that has an opportunity to have outside um activating.

It led the process, it was really quick, it was really amazing process, and I remember saying to my the people at Parks and Rec at that time, it was my first term, it wasn't my second term.

We need to have this process for every single facility so that we it can guide the conversation.

When I found out that um Bill Rec Center A, that their RFP was out.

I was like, no one I I don't know a lot of people, I don't look on bid net, so I don't even would have not known to go there.

I'm glad people do know that.

I was like, where's the community process?

It's the first thing I literally think I asked Councilmember Watson.

What happened to the community process?

And he said it was flawed.

And I was like, what do you mean it was flawed?

Like, how does how does the Globeville community get flawed?

I feel like that's the history of Globville.

And I'm tired of Gloville being flawed.

I am.

I'm just gonna go on the record and say that.

I'm tired of it.

I've been working in the city since 2012, and uh people do not know the helicopter or organizations that go in and helicopter into Gloville, Lyria Swansea, and then helicopter out.

It's it's awful.

And so for the people who have been there for a really long time, like my family who live on Lincoln Street, they're tired of it.

And so with that, I'm gonna have to be a no tonight because I want that community process.

I uh I ask all of you to look at the um report that Councilwoman Torres put out, and I will say the reason why I would looked at that report is because at that time I think the person who was occupying that space was my constituent.

So I had to go to that report and look at her and say, What am how can I help you?

Because he's calling me as well.

So I would never want, I just don't I think that we need to look more carefully at our city facilities and how they operate.

And Pastor B, I just want to say thank you.

I think I met you twelve fourteen ago when I was a council aide in Sun Valley.

You and I literally cleaned an alley.

That was my first interaction with you.

And I think we were there all day.

I think we had to get Excel to come out.

I want to say thank you for all of the work that you've done at Quig Newton Projects when everyone is looking somewhere else.

Northwest Denver has gentrified.

I have million dollar homes, and you have never ever once forgotten about my families in the Quig Newton projects.

So I just want to say thank you for showing up.

Thank you for showing up at La Alma Rec Center all the years that I was working with Councilwoman Montero.

Thank you for showing up when I was working for Councilmember Espinosa.

And I remember one time you heard I was having a really hard time.

It was so heartfelt, and I think I remember calling me back, and I think I was in tears.

By no way, shape or form is my vote a no against you.

It actually is empowering you.

I hope I hope that we can actually find a process to actually have community members like you in the city facility, because that's how Birdseed ended up in there.

Is it was a disaster?

And Birdseed stepped in right at they were forming Birdseed at that time and went into the Global Rec Center because we needed a partner.

So I hope that we can all take a step back, look at this, and I will say I don't want another recenter closed, but I'd rather have a no vote on my conscience, knowing that we need more direction for this than being able to vote yes, thinking in a year and a half we're gonna have to come through this process again because it's a painful process in this community that needs lots of generational healing.

So with that, Madam Secretary, you'll call Council members parity.

No Albizaras?

No, Flynn Gilmore?

Gonzalez Cutieres?

Nay.

Lewis?

Nay.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Boris.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval?

Nay.

Madam Secretary, closed voting announcements.

Eight nays.

Eight nays council resolution zero four seven one has failed.

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