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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Finance and Business Committee Postpones Vote on Labor Acknowledgement Resolution - July 28, 2026

Council Committees — Tuesday, July 28, 2026

BodyDenver, Colorado

SessionCouncil Committees

DateTuesday, July 28, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 51:55

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

0:00

That really matters to families.

0:01

I didn't know that this existed.

0:05

Every time I go here, I see a lot more kids than there was before.

0:08

Thanks for this park.

0:10

I think a lot of the children like it and keep building new stuff.

0:14

Kids actually just kind of come from all over to come to the SRAC Center.

0:18

It's nice to see that the improvements are going back into the communities.

0:21

They need us and we like serving them.

0:29

Through these bond programs, you have improved our transportation infrastructure.

0:38

Restort iconic institutions.

0:43

Modernize Denver Libraries.

0:56

Develop safe and stable havens for our most vulnerable residents.

1:04

Revitalize high quality parks and recreation spaces.

1:12

Built a new outpatient medical center at Denver Health.

1:20

Improved emergency service facilities for residents and our first responders.

1:35

Second chance help me out with a pre-apprentip program, which they got me into, knowing that I helped create this, I helped fix this, you know.

1:42

It means a lot to actually see the city thrive.

1:45

Without something like the Rise Initiative, we wouldn't be able to provide this level of care.

1:50

Not only do we think that we will change the lives of young people that walk through this door, but we deeply believe that it'll change the future of what our streets look like.

2:00

Blair Callwell is community.

2:02

We are a space where folks of all kinds come and gather.

2:06

I think that the renovation really kind of helped magnify that goal.

2:11

I can't thank the community enough just for input and for support for voting for this bond measure.

2:18

It really has had a tremendous impact.

2:21

Thank you, Denver.

2:22

Your investment in our communities continues to lift up every neighborhood every day.

2:28

Making a difference for all of us who live, learn, work, and play in the Marhai City.

2:34

Together, we're building a stronger, safer, and more vibrant city of the future, it's time for this bi-weekly meeting of the Finance and Business Committee of Denver City Council.

3:26

Join us for the Finance and Business Committee starting now.

3:40

Good morning.

3:41

It is Tuesday, July 28th, 2026.

3:44

You have tuned in to the Finance and Business Committee meeting.

3:47

I'm Chris Hines, and I uh as of today chair the meeting.

3:52

Uh Council President, I want to thank you for the honor and uh responsibility of being uh chair of this committee and uh Councilmember Cashman, thank you for joining me as vice chair in this journey.

4:05

Uh so we have one action item 26-1096 and two consent items that will move forward if uh no one pulls them off.

4:13

So uh before we go into a resolution amending the city council rules of procedure, uh let's start with uh introductions.

4:21

Um council president.

4:23

Hi, good morning.

4:24

Diana Romero Campbell, Southeast Denver, District 4.

4:28

Hey everybody, Sedana Gonzalez Cucheras, one of your council members at large.

4:33

Paul Cash from South Denver District 6.

4:35

Uh good morning, Darren Watson.

4:37

Fine District 9.

4:38

And do we have anyone online?

4:43

No.

4:43

Okay, great.

4:44

Uh so um our uh our action item is 26-1096 uh resolution omitting the city council rules of procedure.

4:53

Council Briver Lewis, thank you for uh for bringing this forward.

4:56

Sure, thank you.

4:57

Thank you, sir.

4:58

Yes, ma'am.

4:58

Thank you so much.

5:00

Um so good morning.

5:00

I'm actually really excited to talk to you all about a proposal to change the city council rules that would require us to read a labor acknowledgement in addition to the land acknowledgement and the pledge of allegiance, which we currently do.

5:12

Many of you are probably already familiar with this because um we brought this some time ago but had to really um have a conversation in terms of bandwidth within my staff to make sure that we can get this going.

5:25

Um so let's start with the land acknowledgement uh which you which is presented on this slide.

5:30

I won't read it since you all are very familiar with the language.

5:33

Um if council members are wondering, the land acknowledgement um or the labor acknowledgement is not changing as a result of the proposal.

5:40

Um and I would like to thank Councilwoman Torres for walking me through the process by which she landed on the land acknowledgement process and it was able to add it to the council rules.

5:53

Um and I really tried to model what to to the extent possible um this proposal with what I learned from Councilwoman Torres, and I will note that the land acknowledgement is three paragraphs and a 113 words.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Racial Equity███████████████████████████████████████39%

Procedural███████████████████████████████████35%

Community Engagement██████████████████████22%

Parks and Recreation████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Finance and Business Committee Meeting - July 28, 2026

The Finance and Business Committee of the Denver City Council met on July 28, 2026, to consider a resolution amending council procedures to include a Labor Acknowledgement, and approved two consent items for city equipment purchases.

Consent Calendar

Both consent items were approved and will advance to the full council:

26-1089: Amends a Master Purchase Order with Hardline Equipment LLC for street sweepers, adding $1.5 million for a new total of $3.5 million.
26-1090: Approves a purchase order of $644,699 with Vogel Traffic Services for a new EZ Liner paint striping vehicle.

Public Comments & Testimony

Before the formal session began, a pre-recorded segment featuring community testimonials was played. Speakers expressed strong support for city investments funded by bond programs, praising improvements to parks (including the SRAC Center), transportation infrastructure, libraries, Denver Health, and public safety facilities, and highlighting their positive impact on youth and neighborhoods.

Discussion Item: Resolution 26-1096

Councilmember Lewis introduced a resolution to adopt a Labor Acknowledgement. The proposed text acknowledges the forced labor of enslaved Africans, the Middle Passage, lynchings, the historical power of the Ku Klux Klan in Denver, and commits the council to truth, accountability, and repair. Lewis stated the goal was to move from symbolic recognition to policy action, noting the text was developed with input from the African American Commission, LGBTQIA+ Commission, and Justice for Black Coloradans. The original timeline aimed for a full council vote on August 3, 2026.

Council Debate:

Council President Romero Campbell asked if the text could be broadened to include other exploited labor groups (e.g., migrant workers, Japanese Americans, Chinese laborers). She requested a delay for briefings and expanded community consultation.
Chair Hinds questioned the naming of specific groups ("white Americans," "Ku Klux Klan") versus systems, acknowledging the language was intended to be uncomfortable. He asked about other cities’ precedents for such specific acknowledgments.
Council Pro Tem Gonzalez-Gutierrez supported the specificity, cautioning that expanding the scope might dilute the purpose. She suggested renaming it a "Slavery Acknowledgement" to better reflect its focused intent on chattel slavery.
Vice Chair Kashmann voiced strong support for the text as written and opposed changes, but recommended a separate council working group for acknowledgments for other communities.
Councilmember Lewis indicated openness to renaming the acknowledgement and agreed to take feedback back to her coalition.

Key Outcomes

Postponement: Council President Romero Campbell moved to postpone the resolution to August 11, 2026. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Watson and approved by a vote of 4-1-2.
- Ayes: Chair Hinds, Vice Chair Kashmann, Romero Campbell, Watson (4)
- Nays: Gonzalez-Gutierrez (1)
- Absent: Gilmore, Sawyer (2)
Next Steps: Councilmember Lewis will use the additional time to engage stakeholders and council members on the scope and title of the acknowledgement. The consent items will advance to the full City Council for a vote.

Meeting Transcript

That really matters to families. I didn't know that this existed. Every time I go here, I see a lot more kids than there was before. Thanks for this park. I think a lot of the children like it and keep building new stuff. Kids actually just kind of come from all over to come to the SRAC Center. It's nice to see that the improvements are going back into the communities. They need us and we like serving them. Through these bond programs, you have improved our transportation infrastructure. Restort iconic institutions. Modernize Denver Libraries. Develop safe and stable havens for our most vulnerable residents. Revitalize high quality parks and recreation spaces. Built a new outpatient medical center at Denver Health. Improved emergency service facilities for residents and our first responders. Second chance help me out with a pre-apprentip program, which they got me into, knowing that I helped create this, I helped fix this, you know. It means a lot to actually see the city thrive. Without something like the Rise Initiative, we wouldn't be able to provide this level of care. Not only do we think that we will change the lives of young people that walk through this door, but we deeply believe that it'll change the future of what our streets look like. Blair Callwell is community. We are a space where folks of all kinds come and gather. I think that the renovation really kind of helped magnify that goal. I can't thank the community enough just for input and for support for voting for this bond measure. It really has had a tremendous impact. Thank you, Denver. Your investment in our communities continues to lift up every neighborhood every day. Making a difference for all of us who live, learn, work, and play in the Marhai City. Together, we're building a stronger, safer, and more vibrant city of the future, it's time for this bi-weekly meeting of the Finance and Business Committee of Denver City Council. Join us for the Finance and Business Committee starting now. Good morning. It is Tuesday, July 28th, 2026. You have tuned in to the Finance and Business Committee meeting. I'm Chris Hines, and I uh as of today chair the meeting. Uh Council President, I want to thank you for the honor and uh responsibility of being uh chair of this committee and uh Councilmember Cashman, thank you for joining me as vice chair in this journey. Uh so we have one action item 26-1096 and two consent items that will move forward if uh no one pulls them off. So uh before we go into a resolution amending the city council rules of procedure, uh let's start with uh introductions. Um council president. Hi, good morning. Diana Romero Campbell, Southeast Denver, District 4. Hey everybody, Sedana Gonzalez Cucheras, one of your council members at large. Paul Cash from South Denver District 6. Uh good morning, Darren Watson. Fine District 9. And do we have anyone online? No. Okay, great. Uh so um our uh our action item is 26-1096 uh resolution omitting the city council rules of procedure. Council Briver Lewis, thank you for uh for bringing this forward. Sure, thank you. Thank you, sir.

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