Denver City Council Regular Session – October 5, 2026

The Denver City Council met on Monday, October 5, 2026, beginning at 3:30 p.m., with 12 members present. Council President Romero Campbell presided. The meeting included proclamations, a block consent agenda, several individually called-out resolutions, and three required public hearings on amendments restricting spending of voter-approved sales-tax funds. The council recessed and reconvened before adjourning at 6:09 p.m.

Attendance and Opening

• Twelve members were present: Alvidrez, Flynn, Gilmore, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Hinds, Kashmann, Lewis, Sandoval, Sawyer, Torres, Watson, and Romero Campbell. Gilmore and Sawyer attended virtually; Torres attended the 3:30 p.m. session virtually.
• Councilmember Alvidrez led the Pledge of Allegiance and Land Acknowledgement.
• The September 28, 2026 minutes (26-1453) were approved.

Council Announcements

• Councilmember Alvidrez spoke about sexual assault and the Jane Doe incident at Cornell, offering support to survivors.
• Councilmember Gonzales-Gutierrez shared a Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition report: 73% of people detained by ICE last year had children; 18% had U.S. citizen children; 37% had pending immigration applications; three U.S. citizens in Denver were picked up by ICE.
• Councilmembers announced community events, the East Colfax ballot box, the Colfax Bus Rapid Transit opening, and an all-day budget workshop set for Thursday.
• Councilmember Hinds said the Capitol-to-Anschutz Colfax BRT trip will be 30 minutes faster than driving once fully rolled out.

Proclamations

• 26-1467 Recognized the El Grito 5K Run/Walk; adopted 12-0. Tina Romero, a race leader, accepted.
• 26-1468 Honored fallen Denver Police Officer Merle Nading; adopted 11-0, with Romero Campbell absent. Accepted by Pat Nading Ahmed and Lance Nading.

Consent Calendar and Block Vote

• Bills for introduction were ordered published: 26-1335 (DDDA funding for Unit 100 of Midland Condominiums), 26-1380 (University of Colorado early-childhood nutrition/food access), and 26-1370 (revoking Triangle at Union Station Development LLC revocable permit).
• On a single block vote, the council approved the consent agenda 12-0, including the following resolutions:
  • 26-1340: $6,314,000 State Proposition 123 AHOP grant for 82 for-sale condominiums at 507 Acoma.
  • 26-1382: $1,900,000 add to Work Options for Women contract for micro-community meals.
  • 26-1383: recognize sale and loan assumption at 3755 Tennyson St. and raise subordination limit to $5,500,000.
  • 26-1384: $3,000,000 loan to Lincoln LLLP for 118 income-restricted units.
  • 26-1375, 26-1376, 26-1377: translation and interpretation contract extensions with Cal Interpreting, Propio LS, and Cesco Linguistic Services.
  • 26-1374: $458,123.11 add to Goserco Verint recording and workforce software supporting Denver 911.
  • 26-1378: $548,378.61 Healthy Food for Denver's Kids grant to Sun Valley Community Center.
  • 26-1379: $738,087.77 Healthy Food for Denver's Kids grant to Struggle of Love Foundation.
  • 26-1466: $375,000 liability settlement in Babette Norton v. Denver Police Department.
  • 26-1368, 26-1369, 26-1371: dedication of City-owned parcels as public rights-of-way, including North Globeville Road, Park Avenue West, and Welton Street/20th Street/Public Alley.
  • 26-1309: $985,000 Lumin8 traffic signal maintenance contract.
  • 26-1330: $6,850,000 LOYA Construction roto-mill and asphalt overlay contract.
  • 26-1381: $1,335,870 purchase order for Central Utility Plant Boiler #6 at Denver International Airport.
• The block vote also placed the following bills on final consideration and passed them en bloc:
  • 26-1333 (Denver Downtown Development Authority boundary amendments), 26-1336 (DDDA funding for University Building at 900-918 16th St.), 26-1305 (voluntary collection and disclosure of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), 26-1332 (vendor name update to Avion Metropolitan District), 26-1325 (vacate a portion of Chopper Circle), and 26-1331 (revoke revocable permit at 2409 Blake St.).

Individually Called-Out Resolutions

• 26-1373 (Citibot AI Chatbot contract) was postponed one week to October 13, 2026 by Councilmember Alvidrez.
• 26-1372 (Slalom business intelligence and ICT services) was postponed one week to October 13, 2026 by Councilmember Lewis.
• 26-1303 (Sunny Side Up Solutions employment-brand video contract) was adopted 9-3; Gilmore, Gonzales-Gutierrez, and Lewis voted no.
• 26-1385 (Colorado Coalition for the Homeless stability services amendment) was adopted 9-3; Alvidrez, Lewis, and Sawyer voted no. Lewis said she was voting no consistent with past votes about the contractor.
• 26-1348 through 26-1357 (airline use and lease agreements at DEN: Air Canada, Air France, Alaska, Cayman, Copa, Icelandair, Denver Air Connection, Lufthansa, Turkish, and WestJet) were postponed to October 13, 2026 in a block by an 11-1 vote; Sawyer voted no. Proponents wanted more time for community organizations to engage with DEN; Sawyer said the airport should not be left waiting and that conversations could continue. DEN Interim CEO Dave Laporte said conversations would continue and two organizations had not yet responded.
• 26-1343 (Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell legal services amendment) was adopted 8-4. Gilmore, Alvidrez, Gonzales-Gutierrez, and Lewis voted no. Opponents cited the firm's work for GEO Group immigration detention facilities, $800/hour rates, and process concerns. Supporters noted WTO's pro bono work with the ACLU against ICE and said replacing the firm would cost more. City Attorney Mika Brown said WTO was selected through a panel and is billed at a blended rate.

Public Comments and Hearing Testimony

• General public comment: The transcript includes a speaker's extended historical account of Ute land displacement, the Ute Removal Act of 1880, and the development of transportation routes through Glenwood Canyon, including I-70. The speaker's name is not identified in the minutes.
• Council Bill 26-1362 public hearing: Jesse Parris spoke in favor; no one spoke in opposition.
• Council Bill 26-1363 public hearing: Jesse Parris spoke in favor; no one spoke in opposition.
• Council Bill 26-1364 public hearing: Angela Casamento (Latinas First Foundation co-chair), Jesse Parris, Terri Jackson (African American Trade Association executive director), and Rebecca Arno (Prosperity Denver Fund CEO) spoke in favor; no one spoke in opposition. Arno said the fund expects to spend $153 million between 2018 and 2030, projected to generate $1.25 billion in increased earnings.

Required Public Hearings and Final Passage

• Council sat as a Committee of the Whole beginning at 5:36 p.m. for 26-1362, 5:53 p.m. for 26-1363, and 5:56 p.m. for 26-1364.
• Councilmembers Sandoval and Torres presented the three related ordinances. Changes include a dedicated 1% city administration and oversight fee; standardized expenditure controls; prohibiting alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and non-program food and beverage purchases; and allowing food and beverage for qualifying events. Caring for Denver's administrative fee was increased from 5% to 7%, and its strategic plan must be informed by public input with measurable goals and performance metrics. The Prosperity Denver name change cleans up the old Denver College Affordability Fund title.
• 26-1362 (Caring for Denver tax revenue restrictions) passed 11-0; Gilmore absent.
• 26-1363 (Denver Preschool Program tax revenue restrictions) passed 11-0; Gilmore absent.
• 26-1364 (College affordability tax revenue restrictions and Prosperity Denver Fund name change) passed 11-0; Gilmore absent.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved.
• Proclamation 26-1467 adopted 12-0.
• Proclamation 26-1468 adopted 11-0.
• Resolution 26-1303 adopted 9-3.
• Resolution 26-1385 adopted 9-3.
• Resolutions 26-1373 and 26-1372 postponed to October 13.
• Resolutions 26-1348 through 26-1357 postponed to October 13.
• Resolution 26-1343 adopted 8-4.
• Consent agenda adopted 12-0.
• Bills 26-1333, 26-1336, 26-1305, 26-1332, 26-1325, and 26-1331 passed en bloc.
• Bills 26-1362, 26-1363, and 26-1364 each passed 11-0.
• Meeting adjourned at 6:09 p.m.
• Note: The minutes state that the 5:56 p.m. Committee of the Whole hearing was to hear speakers on Council Bill 26-1363, but the item and transcript make clear the hearing was for Council Bill 26-1364.